The Rhinelander Daily News - Online news and information for the Rhinelander, Wisconsin region

A local developer mis-represented himself to Rhinelander police as the owner of the Arby’s restaurant in Rhinelander as he was arrested after fleeing police in downtown Rhinelander early Thursday morning.

On Sunday The Daily News erroneously reported that the owners of the new Arby’s franchise on Lincoln Street in Rhinelander held a party in the restaurant early Thursday morning that led to arrests for underage alcohol consumption. A comprehensive examination of the facts relating to a police report filed by Rhinelander police on Friday confirmed that the restaurant’s owners, Jennifer and Jeremy Ostrowski, had no involvement or knowledge of the disturbance that led police to make two arrests near the building.

According to the police report obtained by The Daily News on Monday, the developer of the property on which the Arby’s is located, Ryan Wolfe of Mosinee, was arrested by Rhinelander police for disorderly conduct, bail jumping, resisting arrest, failure to obey an officer, prowling, and procuring alcohol for minors in relation to a disturbance that eventually led police into the Lincoln Street Arby’s, where they found an additional suspect and two open cases of beer.

The second man, identified as Sean Stephan of Hamburg, was arrested for underage consumption, prowling, and failure to obey an officer in relation to the same incident. Neither man was apprehended on the premises of the Arby’s store and neither man has a connection with Arby’s, its franchise, or its employees.

According to the police report, Wolfe, the owner of Oakwood Enterprises, identified himself as the owner of Arby’s when police apprehended him and arrested him in a wooded area near M & I Bank after he fled from officers on foot. Upon receiving the information that Wolfe owned the Arby’s, a police officer responded to the Arby’s store and found a second man inside the store attempting to hide. An officer entered the Arby’s in pursuit of the second man and discovered two open cases of beer on a counter.

Officers then pursued and apprehended Stephan and arrested him for underage consumption of alcohol.

On Monday, Jennifer Ostrowski stated that she and her brother only learned of the disturbance when they saw it reported in the paper. They subsequently reviewed footage from their surveillance cameras and said that the footage revealed that a sub-contractor hired by Oakwood Enterprises was seen entering the Arby’s building with a contractor’s key and then a Rhinelander police officer was seen entering the building in pursuit of the man. She said that the footage confirmed that there had never been a party in the Arby’s store or any underage drinking on the premises.

Ostrowski said, “As employers we would never violate the trust of our employees or customers by in any way condoning underage alcohol consumption. We are happy to be in Rhinelander and we want our business to grow in Rhinelander. This incident had nothing to do with the franchise, its owners, or its employees.”

Ostrowski said that Wolfe had misrepresented himself as the owner of Arby’s before and that his actions in no way reflected on Arby’s or on J & J Ostrowski Enterprises, the company that operates the Rhinelander Arby’s.

In spite of the disturbance that occurred at the store location on Thursday morning, the Rhinelander Arby’s enjoyed a successful opening weekend of business, tallying a larger number of customers recorded during an opening weekend than previously recorded at any of the Ostrowski’s eight other stores.

Correction: The article published in the Daily News on Sunday also stated incorrectly that the Ostrowskis recently opened an Arby’s store in Milwaukee. The Ostrowski’s recently opened an Arby’s store in Minocqua.

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Hmm- Missing Information wrote on Sep 11, 2008 12:04 AM:

" I see that this man was arrest, but why were the police looking for him in the first place. What was the disturbance that this paper mentions. If you saw the police report it should indicate what the disturbance was but I don't see that at all in the article. "

Not Concerned At All wrote on Aug 28, 2008 5:03 PM:

" Exactly right. What appears to be, isn't. You only know what is told and not what really happened, ie. parties or arrests. "

stay out of it wrote on Aug 28, 2008 4:58 PM:

" KPC why don't you keep your comments to yourself. You are bads news yourself. Get over it. Stay out of it. "

Get It Right wrote on Aug 28, 2008 4:56 PM:

" This story still isn't right, try to get the facts right for once. Remember there are two sides to every story. "

Concerned wrote on Aug 28, 2008 9:43 AM:

" This just shows you that the owner of Oakwood Enterprises should not be doing business. Who is this guy? I would hope that no one else will do business with Oakwood again! "

concerned citizen wrote on Aug 27, 2008 4:31 PM:

" Oakwood Enterprises and Insight Design are bad bad news!!!!!!!! "

Summer citizen wrote on Aug 27, 2008 8:50 AM:

" If you think the Rhinelander police are bad, try dealing with the Oneida County Sheriffs, they literally allowed a contractor to steal constuction material from us this past summer! And you more or less have no recourse! "

okchris wrote on Aug 26, 2008 10:31 PM:

" this town holds the record for most parties busted. i hope this isnt an indicator that a lot of these parties are not parties. "

Citizen of Rhinelander wrote on Aug 26, 2008 10:42 AM:

" Gosh, another job well executed by the RPD! Cough! Cough! "

The comments above are from readers. In no way do they represent the views of the Rhinelander Daily News.