Hunter/Lang
08/08/22
Additional charges have been filed against a Wisconsin man who reportedly committed two home invasions and held police at bay for about three hours Wednesday night.
The incident began when 41-year-old Rick Wappler of Cascade, Wisconsin was stopped by Iowa City Police just after 6pm for a traffic violation. Wappler reportedly told an officer that he was on the run from law enforcement, grabbed a knife and threatened to kill him. He then fled the scene; the pursuit was ended due to risk of public safety.
A hit-and-run crash at around 9:15pm allegedly involved the vehicle Wappler was last seen in, and officers began looking for him.
Reports of a robbery and carjacking in the 100 block of Prairie Hill Lane a little over half an hour later brought Iowa City police and Johnson County deputies to the scene. They located Wappler inside a vehicle, and a standoff began. Law enforcement then learned of an earlier additional break-in in the same block.
One of the break-ins allegedly involved Wappler forcing his way into a home and threatening the resident at knifepoint after he kicked in the door of the bedroom in which she’d barricaded herself. The other reported home invasion had Wappler attack a man in his 70’s, sending the victim to a local hospital with a head injury.
Officers took Wappler into custody after approximately three hours of unsuccessful negotiations. An Iowa City officer fired his weapon once during the incident, but Wappler was not hit. After evaluation at a local hospital, the man was taken to the Johnson County Jail.
Wappler was initially charged with two counts of 1st degree Burglary, and one count each of 1st degree Robbery and Going Armed with Intent. Additional charges have now been filed, including 1st degree Theft, another count of 1st degree Robbery, an additional count of Going Armed with Intent, and one count of Eluding. The initial charges could see Wappler sentenced to up to 80 years in prison; the additional charges up that sentence to up to 130 years.
