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Was arrested Wednesday night in Buffalo County, Wisconsin

 

A man who failed to show for part of his jury trial Wednesday in Mower County District Court and was later arrested in Wisconsin, has been convicted of a felony count each of assault and threats of violence.

According to court records, Michael Drew Williams, 51, of Wykoff, was found guilty by a jury of second degree assault with a dangerous weapon and threats of violence in a case in LeRoy that dates back to May 28, 2021. But Williams failed to show for the second day of the trial and the judge in the case issued a warrant for his arrest.

According to a press release from the Mower County Attorney’s Office on Friday afternoon, Williams was arrested Wednesday evening in Wisconsin.

The Buffalo County, Wisconsin Sheriff’s Office, located in the western side of the state along the border, confirmed Thursday that he had been arrested by their agency. 

According to Wisconsin court records, Williams is facing a single felony charge for possessing methamphetamine in Buffalo County, and has since been transferred back to Mower County where he is being held without bond pending sentencing.

A plea has yet to be entered in the Buffalo County case.

Friday’s press release said that jury deliberations and convictions for the Mower County case were entered in his absence.

According to the court complaint for the 2021 case, Mower County Sheriff’s Office deputies were dispatched to the 100 block of East Read Street in LeRoy at around 12:30 a.m. on May 24 for a report of an assault with a knife.

One of the deputies met with the victim who said that Williams, who she dated eight years prior, had threatened her through text messages including one that read, “You will not help me so now I need to kill you or your friends or your family.”

A male at the scene, who had been talking with Williams, said Williams got out of the car and walked across the street to the victim, grabbing her by the throat with one hand and had a knife in the other hand. Another woman at the scene showed deputies a video of the incident which showed Williams grabbing the victim and bringing his right hand backward.

It also shows Williams pushing her away and going back to his vehicle, though deputies were not able to determine if he was holding a knife or not.

However, the male at the scene also told deputies that when he was talking to Williams at his car prior to the assault, he noted that Williams was holding a knife in his hand.

The male also said that Williams told him that he was going to kill the victim and that he would kill him as well if he got in the way. 

Both the victim and male said they were concerned that Williams would stab the victim.

The victim then called dispatch later that morning saying she had received more threatening texts that said “I will kill you on my time” and “I never should have let you live.”