A judge was unconvinced and ordered a home invasion suspect detained after he claimed he was invited into a home and then was shot by his drug dealer, who police found with $500K in cash and pounds of cocaine, in Beach Park.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office responded around 8:05 p.m. Thursday to the Lakeview Mobile Home Park in the 38200 block of Sheridan Road in Beach Park for a home invasion call.
Sheriff’s deputies arrived and found a 67-year-old victim with serious wounds to the face and body, according to Lake County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Chief Christopher Covelli.
The victim was transported to an area hospital where he was treated for his injuries and has since been released.
Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Dino Katris said the victim told deputies he and his wife were sitting in their trailer when they heard the front glass door break.
The victim said his former neighbor, later identified as Brian Wisch, 47, who has no permanent address, came into his home with a chrome gun in his hand and pointed it at him.
Wisch started advancing on the victim, who was in the kitchen, Katris said. The victim had $700 in cash laid out on the kitchen table and Wisch began demanding that the victim show him where the money was, Katris said.
The victim directed Wisch to the table and the suspect began taking the money, at which time the victim moved toward his front closet where he had a loaded gun in a coat pocket, Katris said.
The victim pulled out the gun and pointed it at Wisch before firing the gun as he was in fear for his life, Katris said.
The round struck Wisch in the waist area and exited through his buttocks.
Wisch began wrestling the victim and overpowered him, Katris said. Wisch then allegedly used the gun as a bludgeon to strike the victim on his head.
The victim had lacerations to his face, bleeding from the back of the head and a black eye.
Katris said Wisch ran out of the trailer with the money and both guns. Investigators interviewed Wisch’s family and learned he drives his daughter’s red SUV.
Police located Wisch and his daughter at the Pilot Truck Stop in the 16400 block of Russell Road in Wadsworth on Friday.
They learned that Wisch is homeless and sleeps with his adult daughter in the cab of a truck, Katris said.
Wisch consented to a search of the truck cab where he was living and consented to a search of the truck.
Katris said a chrome pistol, which had a blood stain on it, and a black 9mm handgun that belonged to the victim were recovered.
Investigators interviewed Wisch, who said that he went to the trailer to purchase $300 worth of cocaine from the victim.
Wisch said the victim accused him of paying with a fake $100 bill before hearing a gun rack and saw the victim pointing a black gun at him.
The two wrestled by the glass door, causing the glass to break and the gun went off, striking him in the waist area, Wisch said.
Prosecutors said the glass was found inside the home and not outside, disputing Wisch’s claim that the struggle inside caused the glass break.
Wisch said he then grabbed the gun and started striking the 67-year-old victim in the head. He said he grabbed the victim’s wife’s gun and ran away with the two.
Prosecutors questioned Wisch’s version of events and said it was strange that he never sought treatment for the gunshot wound or reported it to the police.
A family member of Wisch said she had previously seen Wisch possessing the chrome gun that officers found, Katris said.
The victim and his wife provided DNA samples for analysis with the guns but Wisch declined to provide DNA.
Wisch is a known drug addict and is a convicted felon. “This Defendant’s actions were violent consistent with his violent reputation,” Katris said.
“The Victim, a senior citizen was sent to the hospital. This Defendant is dangerous. The Defendant’s criminal history shows a pattern of non compliance with court ordered sentences that support the proposition that this Defendant would continue to disobey court conditions if released,” Katris said.
The Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office approved charges against Wisch for three counts of home invasion, two counts of armed robbery and unlawful use of a weapon by a felon.
Sheriff’s detectives obtained a search warrant for the victim’s home and recovered nearly two pounds of cocaine and approximately $500,000 in cash, Covelli said. Charges are likely against the homeowner in the future.
“This case highlights the exceptional work of our Criminal Investigations Division,” Lake County Sheriff John D. Idleburg said.
“Through focused, diligent investigative efforts, our investigators quickly identified the suspect and uncovered critical evidence that revealed a much more complex situation, including the recovery of both firearms used in the incident, and a significant amount of illegal drugs and currency,” Idleburg said.
Wisch remains held in the Lake County Jail after appearing for a detention hearing on Monday afternoon after the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office filed a petition to detain him in custody pending trial.
Lake County Judge Michael Nerheim granted the petition and also granted a petition to revoke his pre-trial release in a prior pending case.
Lake County Assistant Public Defender Gregg Wolpoff, who is representing Wisch, said in court that his client went to the victim’s home to purchase drugs and was invited into the residence.
During the transaction, there was a dispute about the payment and the alleged victim pulled a gun on Wisch and shot him, Wolpoff said, adding that the two residents of the home were not “innocent victims” as investigators found drugs and a large stash of cash in their possession.
Wisch is scheduled to appear in court again on February 3 for a preliminary hearing.