When You Gotta Go, You Otta Go In Caledonia

A man who allegedly struck a light pole with his truck in the parking lot at his apartment complex had an urgent call from Mother Nature that could not be ignored.

But it wasn’t the call of the restroom that got him into trouble. Rather, it was his alleged involvement in the hit and run crash that got him arrested.

John Kellner, 41, of Caledonia, was arrested for resisting arrest, hit and run property damage, and drunk driving at 12:38 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 23 in the Concord Apartments, 4240 North Main Street.

According to a report by the Caledonia Police Department, Kellner, who was driving a Dodge Durango, allegedly struck a lamppost, knocked it down and ran over it with his truck. A witness told police he saw Kellner get out of the truck after he allegedly ran into the light pole and saw Kellner stagger around the parking lot. Kellner told the witness he was drunk and needed to use the restroom as he walked into the apartment building.

When police talked to Kellner at his department, he denied knowing about the car crash, and smelled like “fresh feces” and alcohol. Kellner sat down on the couch as police questioned him about his involvement in the crash. But when police told him they had two witnesses who said they saw him get out of the truck and enter the building, Kellner told the police he had been drinking and had to use the restroom.

Getting up quickly from the couch, Kellner ran past the officers to the kitchen towards the front door, but police stopped him and told Kellner they believed he was driving the truck, had been drinking and that he needed to take a field sobriety test. Kellner got angry and resisted arrest. Police wrestled with Kellner and had to use their stun gun on him to arrest him. While handcuffing Kellner, police noted that “fresh feces” were coming down his pant legs, according to the report.

At the Racine County Jail, Kellner refused to follow their commands and they used their stun guns on him again.

When police asked if he would take a breathalyzer test, Kellner refused and told them “he was not going to do anything” for the officer and he wanted his lawyer.