Tim Ryan tryan@wolfrivermedia.com
A second man has been charged in connection with a shooting incident Saturday in Shawano that authorities described as a drug deal gone wrong.
Alexander R. Olson, 22, of Denver, Colorado, was charged Thursday with two felony counts, including party to the crime of first-degree reckless injury and manufacture and delivery of cocaine.
Olson and Kevon E. Houston, 20, of Denver, were among several people who came to a party at an apartment building at 1024 E. Fifth St. early Saturday to sell drugs, according to the criminal complaint.
An 18-year-old female described as Olson’s girlfriend had acted as a “middleman” in arranging this and other drug sales with drugs supplied by Olson and Houston.
She collected $20 from unnamed people at the party and returned a short time later with the drugs, according to the complaint.
As they returned to their car to leave, they were confronted by a crowd of 10-15 people from the party who complained the drugs tasted like laundry detergent, the complaint states.
Olson, who was in the front passenger seat, was the first to be confronted about the “bunk cocaine,” according to the complaint, but refused to return anyone’s money.
Houston leaned out of a rear passenger seat waving a gun, telling the people to get back, according to the complaint, and fired a bullet that struck a 31-year-old Shawano woman in the chest.
Police were called to the scene at about 3:40 a.m. The woman was taken to ThedaCare Medical Center-Shawano with life-threatening injuries from which she has recovered, according to authorities.
Olson and Houston were taken into custody without incident outside a residence in the Middle Village area of the Menominee Indian Reservation on Saturday afternoon. Authorities also seized a handgun allegedly used in the incident.
Olson was transported to the Menominee Tribal Jail and is being held on several felony warrants from Colorado and a Menominee tribal warrant.
Olson could face a maximum possible penalty of 25 years in prison and a $100,000 fine on the reckless injury charge if found guilty, and 10 years and a $25,000 fine for the manufacture and delivery of cocaine.
No court date has yet been set in his case.
Houston faces the same felony charges, as well as a count of reckless endangerment, which carries a possible 12½ years in prison and $25,000 fine.
He was ordered held on a $100,000 cash bond and is due back in court for an adjourned initial appearance Monday.