Man accused of fighting with police

Waukesha - A 22-year-old Waukesha man allegedly attacked a police officer after he and his live-in girlfriend left their 4-year-old child alone while they went to a bar early Dec. 18.

According to the criminal complaint filed Dec. 19 in Waukesha County Circuit Court, Waukesha police were called to an apartment on Laflin Avenue at about 3:40 a.m. as a caller reported hearing loud banging and yelling coming from the couple's apartment. When officers arrived they could hear Dana R. Poeschl, 23, saying "get away from me" and "stop touching me," the complaint said.

Two officers tried to get into the apartment but no one answered the door but when police said they would use force, Poeschl opened the door, the complaint said.

Poeschl told police she and her boyfriend, Stephan C. Langer, 22, went out to a bar and left their son alone, the complaint said. Langer was taken out into the hallway and was being uncooperative with police. He gave the officer the "thousand yard stare" on several occasions, the complaint said. Such a look from a suspect is an early warning sign of a possible assault, the complaint said.

When the officers decided to place Langer under arrest he immediately turned around and suddenly struck one of the officers in the chest and then grabbed the other officer by the shoulders and attempted to drive him backward, the complaint said.

A physical struggle ensued with officers driving Langer into a wall and hitting him with knee strikes in the abdomen but Langer allegedly attempted to break free of the officers' grasp, the complaint said.

The officers eventually were able to get Langer handcuffed and put him in a restraint chair and put a spit mask over his face so he could not spit on officers, the complaint said.

Poeschl told police they left their child alone from about 1 a.m. to 2:30 a.m. as they went to a bar, the complaint said. Poeschl said Langer wanted to leave their son home alone but she pleaded with him not to do so but in the end she did go to the bar with Langer, the complaint said.

Langer was charged with a felony count of battery to a peace officer, and misdemeanor counts of disorderly conduct/domestic abuse, resisting an officer and child neglect. Poeschl was also charged with child neglect.