The Lake Geneva Police Department was busy this past week.
Venetian Fest is typically a busy week for the Lake Geneva Police Department, and this year was no different. The very first night of Venetian Fest started with a reckless driving accident near Cook and Main Street, the driver driving through red lights and into oncoming traffic. That started around 7:30 p.m. The vehicle didn’t stop and continued to flee around officers repeatedly almost hitting an officer. The use of stopsticks was necessary. A child ran from the car at that time and was taken to safety. The suspect continued to flee around the same block lost control and hit a parked vehicle at Geneva and Madison Street. The suspect was taken into custody and a second child was removed from the car and taken to safety. The suspect admitted to being under the influence of cocaine and ketamine. The suspect was identified as 39-year-old Alesha Imhoff from Edgerton Wisconsin. The two children were physically unharmed, at least physically. Imhoff suffered no injuries and was booked into the Walworth County Jail to face several charges: fleeing and eluding, reckless endangerment, OWI with passengers under 16 years old, and failure to stop. There were extra patrols put out on patrol for the event, with the help of the Walworth County Sheriff’s Department. With traffic as heavy as it was, Lake Geneva officers were on foot and on bikes at different times throughout the week.
Venetian Days went well, but not terrific because of some inclement weather.
Venetian Fest 2024 is a wrap. The festival is Lake Geneva Jaycee’s biggest fundraiser of the year. This festival helps the Jaycees contribute to many local charities, so a successful Venetian is a win for the community. Opening day was last Wednesday and it started with the traditional ribbon cutting and confetti. The carnival was full of people and excitement right from the start. Seminary Park aka Kiddie Land had a few more attractions than previous years. The Lake Geneva Police and Fire Department were on the scene with trucks and interactive displays for the kids to check out. Axe Throwing was also added to the mix which the adults seemed to enjoy. The addition of food and beverages was appreciated in this area. The lemonade stand was fresh and fabulous. Fat Jeff’s BBQ food truck had some of the best fair food in the entire carnival. The grill was going non-stop, and the steak sandwich was huge and delicious. Venetian Fest traditionally deals with some rain during the five-day event and Thursday was that day, making it the least attended day of the festival. Friday through Sunday the festival drew in large crowds, making traffic thick and the entire city full of activity, not just the activities on the festival grounds. Sunday was a great day and evening, with all the extra events of the boat show, water skiers, and ending with the grand finale firework show. Everyone should appreciate and thank the Lake Geneva Jaycees for the wonderful event and for all that they do on top of that.
