Iron Co. man accused of trying to kill deputy

An Iron County, Wisconsin, man has been charged with two felonies after allegedly attempting to kill a sheriff’s deputy last month.

58-year-old Todd S. Grossklaus of Montreal was formally charged this week with attempted first-degree intentional homicide and first-degree recklessly endangering safety. He also faces several misdemeanor charges, including resisting or obstructing an officer and two counts of operating a firearm while intoxicated.

According to a press release from Iron County Sheriff Paul Samardich, Grossklaus himself initially called authorities to his residence on March 20, saying that a female was intoxicated and needed to be removed.

The news release says the female told an arriving deputy that Grossklaus "was very drunk and mad and was ‘getting his gun ready.’"

The deputy called out the man’s name and announced his presence. Authorities say at that point, the deputy saw the barrel of a shotgun coming around the corner near the doorway.

The deputy grabbed the barrel of the shotgun and swung it up into the air, the news release says. The two then began to struggle over the weapon, at which point Grossklaus allegedly pulled a loaded pistol from his waistband and attempted to point it toward the deputy as the two struggled.

The news release says Grossklaus eventually relinquished his hold on the handgun after repeated commands. He was handcuffed after a second officer arrived at the residence.

During an interview, the female told authorities that Grossklaus had hit her, the news release says.

According to online court records, Grossklaus was in court on Tuesday and is scheduled for another hearing on May 2.