Hurley fire chief credit card counts debated

By RALPH ANSAMI

ransami@yourdailyglobe.com

Hurley — A hearing on a motion to dismiss theft and credit card charges against former Hurley Fire Department Chief Darrell Petrusha was continued Monday afternoon in Iron County Court.

Iron County Judge Patrick Madden continued the hearing to Thursday, Oct. 25, at 11 a.m.

Petrusha’s attorney, Steve Lucareli, argued the charges against Petrusha regarding the alleged mis-use of a fire department credit card should be dismissed.

Lucareli claimed one of the charges, as amended, isn’t supported by state statutes. He said there are no facts in the criminal complaint to suggest abuse of a credit card because there were no supervisory restrictions at that time regarding personal use of it. As fire chief, Lucareli argued that Petrusha could set the authority for use of the card, a practice that has since changed.

According to court records, the charges date from Jan. 14, 2013, to 2016, when Petrusha served as fire chief.

On April 27, a Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation special agent in the case learned Petrusha had paid off the balance of the credit card, or around $7,900.

“No one’s out a penny,” Lucareli told Madden Monday.

Some of the credit card purchases listed in the criminal complaint were from a supermarket, taverns, Red Lobster, Gander Mountain, gas stations and Crossbreed Holsters.

Iron County District Attorney Matthew Tingstad filed amended counts on Friday that are similar to the original felony allegations. They allege theft from a business setting and unauthorized use of an entity’s identifying information or documents.

Madden said it was too serious of an issue to try to resolve at Monday’s motion hearing, which lasted for about 45 minutes.

Petrusha, 54, of Hurley, was not re-appointed fire chief earlier this spring.