Attorney charges Bellrichard for skirting jail

Published 10:25 am Friday, November 8, 2013

Austin native Loren Bellrichard, who reportedly didn’t return to the Mower County jail last weekend as he was required, has been charged with another felony.

Bellrichard

Bellrichard

The Mower County Attorney’s Office charged Bellrichard, 67, with escaping from custody Thursday. Bellrichard has an initial appearance in that case set for Nov. 21.

Wisconsin authorities found Bellrichard Wednesday morning, nearly four days after he was supposed to return to the Mower County jail after receiving a two-day furlough to attend his mother’s funeral.

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Police officers in Alma, Wis., about 95 miles from Austin, arrested Bellrichard at about 10 a.m. Wednesday, according to Mower County Sheriff Terese Amazi. Amazi said Bellrichard apparently received a ride from someone to Winona, where he crossed the border into Wisconsin. Bellrichard was cooperative when officers arrested him, Amazi added.

Bellrichard was charged in September for allegedly stalking a 16-year-old Austin girl. He was previously released on bail but violated the terms of his release when he contacted the victim and went back to the Mower County jail earlier this month, according to Mower County Attorney Kristen Nelsen.

In that case, Bellrichard faces three felony charges for stalking a victim younger than 18, for which he has a pretrial set on Jan. 23.