Charges Follow Four in Failed Drug Theft In Muskego

Four people are facing charges after a Muskego man and Milwaukee man tried to steal marijuana from two Wind Lake men outside a Muskego tavern.

According to the criminal complaint:

On Nov. 30, Ralph J. Fleege, 20, of Muskego, and Magdaeliz Hernandez, 18, of Milwaukee, went to the with two women where they planned to buy $110 worth of marijuana from Kody D. Ozanick Vanderhill, 19 and Benjamin R. Stroeh, 20, both of Wind Lake. While on the way, they devised a plan to take the drugs from Vanderhill and Stroeh without paying for them by smashing their car window and running after the deal took place.

They met in the parking lot and while one man went into Vanderhill’s car, the other came up and smashed the window with a hammer. They both fled towards their own vehicle while Stroeh got out and began to chase after the pair.

Hernandez made it back to his car, but Vanderhill then began driving towards him, neary pinning Fleege in between the two cars. After T-boning Hernandez, both cars took off in a high speed chase southbound on Racine Avenue.

Fleege was then attacked by Stroeh who was still in the parking lot.

Vanderhill continued to purse Hernandez until Hernandez tried to make a right turn onto Nordic Ridge Drive, but lost control and hit a tree. He and two passengers then got out of the car and began to flee on foot while the car started on fire.

A bartender at Denoon Saloon who saw the cars collide called police, and after they arrived Fleege was spotted walking nearby with bruises and scrapes and mud on his face. He initially told police he was walking to a friend’s home in Waterford when he was jumped by a man. He then changed his story to say he was attacked by a man standing in the middle of Racine Avenue who began yelling and physically attacking him when the cars collided.

After police informed him they learned of the plan to steal drugs from the other two, he came clean about the plan.

Vanderhill is charged with one count of conspiracy to manufacture and deliver THC, the active ingredient in marijuana and two counts of first-degree reckless endangerment of safety. If convicted, he faces up to 28 ½ years in prison and $60,000 in fines.

Stroeh is charged with one count of battery and faces up to nine months in prison and $10,000 in fines. Fleege and Hernandez are each charged with one count of theft and one count of criminal damage to property and face up to 18 months in prison and $20,000 in fines if convicted.