SHAWANO, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — Arrests warrants were issued Thursday for former campground owner Ann Retzlaff, who failed to show up in person for her latest court hearing.
Retzlaff faces a series of criminal charges related to a May 2021 traffic stop, and additional charges for an April 20 arrest on warrants related to missed court appearances on the first charges. An additional bail jumping charge was filed after allegedly went to Michigan without permission. She has routinely objected to the court’s jurisdiction, citing her claims of being a “sovereign citizen.” She has been ordered to stand trial but no dates have been set.
Marathon County Judge Michael Moran – who allowed Retzlaff to leave the state for holidays – was upset with not showing up.
“I’ve bent over backwards to try to make sure she’s in court, set bonds to allow her to see family members. I wanted her to be here today because I wanted to know that she’s back in the state of Wisconsin, because I did give her the ability to leave the state for a period of time. I made it very clear that she should be returning and should be in person for these hearings,” Judge Moran said.
After the judge made his ruling, the clerk noted that Retzlaff called the clerk shortly before and during the hearing, but the clerk did not add her to proceeding by phone or give her the video access information.
Judge Moran then reiterated he had made it clear Retzlaff was to appear in person. He then ordered the nationwide arrest warrants to be issued.
In the original case, police tried to pull Retzlaff over for failure to stop at a traffic light on May 15, 2021, but she did not pull over, the complaint states. Eventually, traffic stop spikes were deployed, flattening her tires, and the vehicle stopped. An officer advised her to get out of the vehicle.
“She stated she did not do anything wrong, and she was being wrongfully stopped. She stated she is a sovereign citizen and will not step out of the vehicle,” the complaint states.
A deputy tried to pry a vehicle door open when Retzlaff put the vehicle in gear to drive away. Two deputies had to move out of the way to avoid being hit by the vehicle, it states.
The vehicle was stopped a second time. A deputy “broke the driver window with his baton. The door was then opened, and Ann was taken from the vehicle and escorted to the ground. She was secured in handcuffs,” the complaint states.
Retzlaff told police she was rescuing an employee from sex traffickers, which is why she didn’t stop for police, and maintained she didn’t do anything wrong.
When she was arrested on warrants for not showing up in court on the original case, she allegedly was confrontational with officers, prompting additional charges.
Two more bail jumping charges were added in December, after Retzlaff allegedly left the state without permission.
Retzlaff was the owner of Annie’s Campground in Gresham, but it was sold at auction due to satisfy mortgage and tax debts.
