Sometimes, You Just Don't Want to Get the Police Involved

A Milwaukee woman visiting Tosa may have learned Sunday that a simple lack of chivalry and forgiveness is not a crime – although failing to appear on a court order is.

The 30-year-old woman was driving in the Village on Sunday when a man on a bicycle pulled up next to her and began to berate her because, he said, she had almost hit him with her car.

She said she tried to explain to him that she had not seen him at all, and that if, indeed, she had endangered him, it was inadvertent and she was sorry.

But that just set the man off on an agitated lecture about inattentive driving and the need to respect others who use the roads.

Instead of just driving off, the woman called police, who found them both waiting in the parking lot at , 7615 W. State St.

When officers learned what had transpired, they informed both parties that a heated verbal exchange in which not even any threats were involved is not a crime, and they sent the bicyclist on his way.

As for the woman, they asked why she had reported an angry exchange of words, and why she had stayed around to hear it in the first place.

She said she didn’t appreciate the way the man was talking to her and thought he ought to be held accountable.

Instead, police decided to hold her accountable – for being wanted on a warrant by the Racine County Sheriff’s Department.

The report did not say what that warrant was for, but it was serious enough that Racine County authorities replied that they did not want her released on her recognizance but rather held for their disposition.

The woman admitted she knew she was under warrant when she called police to intervene on her behalf. She was handcuffed and promptly sent to jail to await pickup by Racine County authorities.