Dale L. Tankersley, 26, Waupaca, was charged with resisting an officer, escape, disorderly conduct and misdemeanor bail jumping.
On June 24, Tankersley appeared in Waupaca County Circuit Court and was charged with two counts of misdemeanor battery, three counts of disorderly conduct and one count of criminal damage to property from two separate complaints. He was released on a $1,000 signature bond with the condition that he not commit any crimes.
On July 25, Tankersley was charged with theft and disorderly conduct and released on a $1,000 signature bond.
On Aug. 11, at 2:45 a.m. Waupaca police were called out to the Kwik Trip on West Fulton Street. When Sgt. Mario Graceffa and Officer Mark Neumann arrived, they saw a man standing outside the store. He said Tankersley was inside, stealing.
Neumann remained outside questioning the witness, while Graceffa went inside the store where he saw Tankersley with two loaves of bread. The clerk told Graceffa that Tankersley had been “stealing stuff” and Graceffa saw what appeared to be items bulging out from under Tankersley’s shirt.
Tankersley has a reputation among local police for fighting and resisting officers. His prior criminal record in Waupaca County includes misdemeanor convictions of resisting an officer, escape and disorderly conduct. He was also convicted of burglary in Green Bay in 2008, disorderly conduct in Calumet County in 2010.
Graceffa asked Tankersley to place the bread on the counter and step outside. Tankersley complied.
According to the criminal complaint, once outside Tankersley attempted to run and the officers escorted him to the ground and handcuffed him, They reported finding eight meat sticks in his pockets and several packages of lunch meat stuffed in his pants. The lunch meat was still cold from refrigeration.
When Graceffa questioned him about the merchandise in his trousers, Tankersley reportedly responded that he purchased the items from Pick N’ Save, which had closed three hours earlier.
Graceffa escorted Tankersley to the squad car to take him to jail. As Graceffa let go of one of Tankersley’s arms to open the squad car’s door, Tankersley pulled away and began running south on Franklin Street. Graceffa and Neumann, with the assistance of a county deputy who responded to Graceffa’s call, began searching for Tankersley. A short time later, Graceffa found Tankersley on the ground on Division Street with a citizen, Aaron Barth, standing over him and trying to call police on his cell phone.
Tankersley was taken to the county jail without further incident. He faces up to six years in prison if convicted of escape.