Ann Retzlaff appears before court, December 11, 2023. PC: Fox 11 Online
SHAWANO, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – A competency exam was ordered Monday for former campground owner Ann Retzlaff, who remains in custody after a judge denied her request to lower her bond.
Retzlaff – the former owner of Annie’s Campground in Gresham – faces two sets of criminal charges.
The original group of charges started with a May 2021 traffic stop in Shawano County, and additional charges for an April 20 arrest on warrants related to missed court appearances on the first charges. An additional bail jumping charge was filed after allegedly went to Michigan without permission. A Jan. 23 trial is scheduled for charges associated with the initial traffic stop, including fleeing an officer.
The second set of charges are in Sauk County, where she allegedly filed illegal liens against those involved in the foreclosure of the campground. No court dates are currently set in that case.
In court Monday, Marathon County Judge Michael Moran approved a competency exam for Retzlaff for the Shawano County cases. The psychiatric review will determine if she understands the court proceedings and is able assist in her own defense.
Retzlaff also asked the court to show “mercy” in reducing her cash bonds, which total more than $50,000. But, noting the long period when she made herself “unavailable” to the court, Judge Moran said he wouldn’t address the issue.
In the original case, police tried to pull Retzlaff over for failure to stop at a traffic light on May 15, 2021, but she did not pull over, the complaint states. Eventually, traffic stop spikes were deployed, flattening her tires, and the vehicle stopped. An officer advised her to get out of the vehicle. When she was arrested on warrants for not showing up in court on the original case, she allegedly was confrontational with officers, prompting additional charges. After skipping a court hearing in January, a warrant for her arrest was issued. She was arrested in August, when a judge tripled her cash bond – which now stands at $57,000 total for those cases. A Jan. 23 trial is currently scheduled on the original charges.
Retzlaff was the owner of Annie’s Campground in Gresham, but it was sold at auction to satisfy mortgage and tax debts.
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