A Wisconsin man with 10 outstanding warrants apparently decided a traffic stop was the perfect time to test his cardio. His choice of hiding spot afterward, however, left quite a bit to be desired.
The Iowa County Sheriff’s Office says deputies and Dodgeville police were responding to a reported theft at a Walmart in Dodgeville on Friday, August 28. Sergeant Nathan Kennicker and his K9 partner Sam spotted a vehicle matching the description of the one connected to the incident and initiated a traffic stop.
According to the Sheriff’s Office, the male driver got out, ignored commands, retrieved an object from the vehicle, and took off running. Rather than sending officers blindly searching for him, authorities brought in additional deputies, another K9 team, and the department’s Drone Team.
It was Sam who ultimately followed the suspect’s trail to a parking lot near a local business. There, deputies found their wanted man hiding inside a dumpster, bringing an appropriately trashy conclusion to his attempt at getting away.
K9 Sam Sniffs Out a Suspect With 10 Warrants
The Sheriff’s Office identified the driver as 37-year-old Jeffery Raymond Hohmann of Granton, Wisconsin, who was out on bond through Dane County at the time. A records check revealed that Hohmann had 10 outstanding warrants, 9 open felony cases in Dane County, and 4 open misdemeanor cases in Columbia County.
Hohmann’s arrest also resulted in a substantial list of new referrals, including resisting or obstructing an officer, operating while revoked, and an ignition interlock device violation. More notably, authorities referred 27 counts of felony bail jumping and 12 counts of misdemeanor bail jumping following his arrest.
Meanwhile, the investigation back at the vehicle wasn’t finished just because Hohmann’s foot pursuit had reached the dumpster. Deputy Benisch and K9 Fenix conducted an open-air sniff around the vehicle, after which Dodgeville police arrested 53-year-old Troy W. Clark of McFarland.
Clark was also out on bond, this time in connection with an open felony case and an open misdemeanor case in Dane County. Police cited him for possession of drug paraphernalia and arrested him on felony and misdemeanor bail-jumping charges.
One More Track Before Retirement
There’s another wrinkle that makes the dumpster discovery a little more memorable: Sam isn’t exactly a rookie. The K9 is scheduled to retire on December 31, 2026, but clearly hasn’t started mentally checking out of the job just yet.
The Sheriff’s Office credited Sam alongside K9 Fenix, its Drone Team, deputies, Dodgeville police officers, and dispatchers for bringing the situation to a safe conclusion. Sheriff Michael Peterson specifically highlighted the incident as an example of what can happen when municipal departments and county resources work together.
As the Sheriff’s Office rather succinctly put it, the suspect ran, and Sam went to work. After years of service, the soon-to-be-retired K9 apparently still knows that when a trail smells like trouble, sometimes it ends up smelling like a dumpster, too.
Comments and Reactions to K9 Sam’s Dumpster Discovery
Plenty of commenters were less interested in Hohmann’s attempt to run than in where he ultimately decided to hide. One laughed, “Hiding in a dumpster?” before questioning what might happen with his bond, while another had a much simpler nickname for the four-legged officer responsible: “Sam, the Crime Dog!”
Others couldn’t get past the sheer number of warrants and pending cases listed by the Sheriff’s Office. One person questioned how somebody with that many warrants could still be “running around in public,” while another reacted to the two arrests by saying authorities should “throw away the key.”
Sam understandably received most of the love, especially with retirement only a few months away. Comments including “Way to go Sam!!!” and “Great job Sam! Enjoy your retirement in January!” made it clear that, whatever Sam decides to do with retirement, he’ll be leaving Iowa County with at least one last memorable dumpster dive on his résumé.