Person involved in Trane Park incident charged | Crimes and Courts

LA CROSSE, Wis. (WXOW) – The person a La Crosse police officer was attempting to arrest when both were struck by another La Crosse Police vehicle during an incident in Trane Park Friday night is now charged with four misdemeanors in the case.

Austin J. Clark was charged with resisting an officer, evading bail (new offense), disturbing the peace and possession of drug paraphernalia.

According to the criminal complaint, Clark was stopped by Officer Adam Lange because Clark matched the description of a person wanted by police.

Clark refused to identify himself to the officer. Clark attempted to resist when the stop began, which the complaint described as an escort check.

The couple ended up on the ground next to the parking lot entrance while the officer attempted to handcuff Clark.

A passerby came to Officer Lange’s aid, who then called for backup.

When the arriving officer, whose identity is unknown, reached the parking lot, he failed to see Clark and the officer on the ground and ran them over.

From the complaint:

“While I was still on the ground trying to handcuff Austin, I watched out of the corner of my eye as a patrol car pulled up and attempted to enter the Trane Park parking lot. The vehicle pulled into the driveway where the three of us were on the ground and I could feel and see the patrol car begin to drive over us.

over us. I felt a pain in my leg and started yelling at the police officer to back off because he was driving over us. The vehicle eventually stopped and I was able to free my right leg.”

The complaint stated that the officer suffered a deep wound to his knee that required five stitches.

Clark suffered injuries to his right foot and ankle that required emergency surgery.

When he was released from Gundersen Health System on Sunday, Clark was taken to the La Crosse County Jail.

Clark appeared in court Monday afternoon to be charged with four misdemeanors, with two other misdemeanor counts pending before the court.

At the time of the incident, there was a warrant out for Clark's arrest in connection with these previous cases.

He signed a $1,000 bail and was released from jail on Tuesday.

Clark's next court date is October 4.