Man Charged With Homicide Receives New Criminal Charges; Court Orders $500 Cash Bond

BARRON COUNTY -- The Court has ordered an additional cash bond of $500 on new criminal charges which have been filed against Clayton Lauritsen, the man charged with homicide following a road rage incident that occurred in December 2020 that ended with the death of Lauritz Robertson.

On December 28, 2020, Barron County Dispatch received a 911 call about a shooting in Barron, WI. A second 911 call was received from a subject, later identified as Clayton Lauritsen, who stated that they had just shot someone. Lauritsen called Dispatch again, stating that he was driving to the Barron County Sheriff’s Office. He was taken into custody when he arrived at the Barron County Sheriff’s Office a short time later, and charges were filed against him on December 30, 2020.

The criminal complaint charging Lauritsen with 1st Degree Felony Homicide states that Law Enforcement interviewed Kyler Hendricks, who was in the vehicle with Lauritsen. Hendricks confirmed that Lauritsen pursued a vehicle from the City of Rice Lake to the City of Barron, reaching speeds of approximately 140 miles per hour during the pursuit. He also stated that he and Lauritsen had a firearm inside the vehicle and displayed it to the driver that they were pursuing. Once in the city of Barron, they encountered a truck that pulled between Lauritsen’s vehicle and the vehicle they were pursuing. A man, later identified as Lauritz Robertson, got out of the truck. A brief struggle occurred between Lauritsen and Robertson.

Lauritsen allegedly discharged the firearm at Robertson and then drove away. Law enforcement later located a Hi-Point 9mm, model C9 handgun inside Lauritsen’s vehicle, along with a spent 9mm cartridge and a magazine still holding one 9mm cartridge. The criminal complaint filed against Lauritsen states that the medical examiner’s report confirmed a gunshot wound to be the cause of Robertson’s death.

Law enforcement also interviewed the driver of the vehicle that was pursued as well as multiple witnesses at the scene of the alleged shooting. Lauritsen is charged with Class A Felony 1st Degree Intentional Homicide.

On November 22, 2021, a new criminal complaint was filed against Lauritsen, charging him with Class H Felony Bail Jumping, and Misdemeanor Disorderly Conduct stemming from an incident that occurred on November 19, 2021. Details of that incident are not known to DrydenWire, however, Lauritsen appeared for a hearing on November 23, 2021, and the Court addressed bond on both Lauritsen’s new case and his charge of Class A Felony 1st Degree Intentional Homicide.

Online circuit court records show that in July 2021, Lauritsen’s original cash bond of $75,000 on the homicide charge was reduced to $50,000. The cash was posted a few days later.

At the hearing on November 23, 2021, the State requested that the Court re-impose the $75,000 cash bond. The Court denied that request and ordered an additional cash bond of $500.00 regarding Lauritsen’s new charges of bail jumping and disorderly conduct.

Conditions of his new bond require Lauritsen to continue to follow his recommended treatment or therapy as prescribed. Lauritsen is also still subject to the terms of the bond set for the homicide charge which prohibits him from possessing firearms of any type or leaving the state of Wisconsin without permission from the Court.

Kyler Hendricks was also charged with Misdemeanor Disorderly Conduct, Use of a Dangerous Weapon. Online circuit court records show that in June 2021, the Court accepted a plea of Guilty from Hendricks and ordered him to serve 5 days in county jail and pay court costs and fees of $443.00.

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Pursuant to the direction of the Wisconsin Supreme Court, as found in Supreme Court Rule 20:3.6, Trial Publicly, you are advised that a charge is merely an accusation and that a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

Last Update: Nov 28, 2021 10:39 am CST