Request for new judge granted in Iron County bomb scare case

HURLEY — The attorney for a Kimball, Wis., resident who is accused of threatening to blow up the Iron County Courthouse in Hurley filed a request for a substitution of judges Monday.

Robert (Barrel Bob) Gollubske, 76, is being represented by Peter Bear, of Madison, who requested a substitution for Iron County Judge Patrick Madden.

On Tuesday, the application for a new judge was approved, according to court records.

Bear told the Daily Globe that attorney Jeff Scott Olson, of Madison, has also entered the case on Gollubske’s behalf.

Gollubske is charged with bomb scares, a felony. The charge was filed by Iron County Disrict Attorney Marty Lipske on May 10.

Madden and law enforcement officials had previous dealings with Gollubske.

The Daily Globe previously reported, “Gollubske told the court he made the threat to blow up the courthouse to get FBI agents out to his property to show them damages the Mathy Construction Northwoods Paving blacktop plant had caused there.”

Bear said Monday that Gollubske never used the word “threat” when explaining why he made the telephone call to the FBI.

“It was a phone call. The justice system will determine if it’s a threat,” Bear said.

Gollubske allegedly asked the FBI agent if it would be OK if he’d blow up the courthouse.

He claimed $800,000 in damages caused to his home and property on Kimball Drive from the blacktop plant.

Gollubske is scheduled to be arraigned on Aug. 16 at 1 p.m. He is free on $10,000 bond.