Man shocks bar patrons using Taser, Rock County sheriff says

2 report being struck with device, 1 hit with pool stick in tavern skirmish

TOWN OF UNION, Wis. — Four people were arrested in connection with a reported skirmish involving a Taser at a Rock County tavern early Saturday, officials said.

The Rock County Sheriff’s Office said deputies and Evansville police responded to a report of a fight in progress at the Union Tavern on North Union Road at 2:30 a.m. A witness reported a man was using a Taser on other bar patrons.

According to the report, words were exchanged at Union Tavern between bar patrons and a member of a motorcycle club out of Madison.

The motorcycle club member, Timothy Herrington, went outside and called another member of the club who showed up a short time later. Once Douglas Nichols arrived at Union, the two entered the bar and a fight ensued.

The sheriff’s office said Nichols was armed with a Taser and began displaying it once inside the bar. One subject, Ryan Costa, armed himself with a pool stick. Two people claimed to have been shocked with the Taser by Nichols. Nichols was struck in the head with a pool stick.

Deputies reviewed the video surveillance at the bar, according to the report.

Nichols was arrested on suspicion of felony possession of an electronic control device, recklessly endangering safety and disorderly conduct while armed. Herrington was arrested on suspicion of disorderly conduct while armed. Costa was charged with disorderly conduct and batter, both with domestic violence modifiers, disorderly conduct while armed and criminal damage to property. Burkie Piper was also charged with disorderly conduct.

A fifth bar patron, Eric Zee-Muni, was cited on suspicion of disorderly conduct.