BluesBear
November 2, 2003, 04:40 AM
Nebraska City officer, man hit by same bullet
BY LEAH THORSEN / Lincoln Journal Star
A bullet that tore through the abdomen of an enraged husband lost momentum before it hit a Nebraska City police officer who scuffled with him, saving the officer from a serious injury, Police Chief William Muldoon said Friday.
The bullet was fired when Sgt. Stan Ohnmacht, a 24-year police veteran, tried to arrest Randy L. Wilken outside the Pizza Hut, he said.
The bullet broke the skin above Ohnmacht's belt buckle before it fell to the ground, leaving a quarter-size abrasion that looks like a burn, Muldoon said.
"I think this could have been a larger tragedy," Muldoon said. "He's a hero."
Ohnmacht, who was not wearing a bulletproof vest when he was shot, recovered at home Friday.
A message left at his house was not returned.
Wilken, 40, remained at_BryanLGH Medical Center West, where he was listed in fair condition Friday afternoon.
Wilken was furious that his wife of more than 20 years, Brenda, planned to divorce him, Muldoon said.
She had gotten a protection order against him Thursday afternoon, and the evening spiraled from there, according to the following account given by Muldoon:
Wilken's family and friends were helping him move some of his things out of the couple's house at 704 N. Sixth St., when he started yelling that they were stealing from him.
A neighbor called police, and Ohnmacht came to the house at 7:10 p.m.
Ohnmacht stayed there until 7:37 p.m., when Wilken agreed to leave.
But the sergeant suspected he might go to the Pizza Hut where his wife worked.
And when Ohnmacht went tothe restaurant, he saw Wilken banging on the door, screaming that he didn't want her to break up their family.
Ohnmacht went to arrest him, and pinned him against Wilken's pickup.
As he tried to pull the man's arms behind his back, Wilken pulled a small pistol from the waistband of his pants, and it fired during the struggle, slicing through Wilken before hitting Ohnmacht.
An Otoe County sheriff's deputy drove Ohnmacht to St. Mary's Hospital in Nebraska City, where the sergeant was treated and released.
Ohnmacht never drew his gun, Muldoon said.
On Friday, a Pizza Hut employee who said she was the woman Wilken had come to see said she wasn't ready to talk about what happened when reached by phone at the restaurant.
Muldoon said Ohnmacht wants to return to work on Monday, his 53rd birthday.
He commended Ohnmacht's bravery and police work, saying years of experience made the officer know that Wilken could be dangerous.
Said Muldoon: "His hunch was correct."
Reach Leah Thorsen at 473-7246 or lthorsen@journalstar.com.
original story here (http://www.journalstar.com/local.php?story_id=94503)
BY LEAH THORSEN / Lincoln Journal Star
A bullet that tore through the abdomen of an enraged husband lost momentum before it hit a Nebraska City police officer who scuffled with him, saving the officer from a serious injury, Police Chief William Muldoon said Friday.
The bullet was fired when Sgt. Stan Ohnmacht, a 24-year police veteran, tried to arrest Randy L. Wilken outside the Pizza Hut, he said.
The bullet broke the skin above Ohnmacht's belt buckle before it fell to the ground, leaving a quarter-size abrasion that looks like a burn, Muldoon said.
"I think this could have been a larger tragedy," Muldoon said. "He's a hero."
Ohnmacht, who was not wearing a bulletproof vest when he was shot, recovered at home Friday.
A message left at his house was not returned.
Wilken, 40, remained at_BryanLGH Medical Center West, where he was listed in fair condition Friday afternoon.
Wilken was furious that his wife of more than 20 years, Brenda, planned to divorce him, Muldoon said.
She had gotten a protection order against him Thursday afternoon, and the evening spiraled from there, according to the following account given by Muldoon:
Wilken's family and friends were helping him move some of his things out of the couple's house at 704 N. Sixth St., when he started yelling that they were stealing from him.
A neighbor called police, and Ohnmacht came to the house at 7:10 p.m.
Ohnmacht stayed there until 7:37 p.m., when Wilken agreed to leave.
But the sergeant suspected he might go to the Pizza Hut where his wife worked.
And when Ohnmacht went tothe restaurant, he saw Wilken banging on the door, screaming that he didn't want her to break up their family.
Ohnmacht went to arrest him, and pinned him against Wilken's pickup.
As he tried to pull the man's arms behind his back, Wilken pulled a small pistol from the waistband of his pants, and it fired during the struggle, slicing through Wilken before hitting Ohnmacht.
An Otoe County sheriff's deputy drove Ohnmacht to St. Mary's Hospital in Nebraska City, where the sergeant was treated and released.
Ohnmacht never drew his gun, Muldoon said.
On Friday, a Pizza Hut employee who said she was the woman Wilken had come to see said she wasn't ready to talk about what happened when reached by phone at the restaurant.
Muldoon said Ohnmacht wants to return to work on Monday, his 53rd birthday.
He commended Ohnmacht's bravery and police work, saying years of experience made the officer know that Wilken could be dangerous.
Said Muldoon: "His hunch was correct."
Reach Leah Thorsen at 473-7246 or lthorsen@journalstar.com.
original story here (http://www.journalstar.com/local.php?story_id=94503)