Area Burglary/Beating Leaves Restauranteur Critical

A southwest Wisconsin business owner is clinging to life, and three men are behind bars, following a break-in and beating Wednesday.

An employee at the Wasabi Japanese restaurant, just south of Prairie du Chien, arrived at work Wednesday afternoon, to find glass on the floor, and the owner, Young Su Kim, slumped over in a chair, bloody and unresponsive.

The 42 year old Kim was taken to the local hospital, then aircared to Gunderson Lutheran in LaCrosse, where he remains in critical condition with severe head injuries.

Crawford County deputies found evidence that the restaurant had been burglarized, with evidence pointing to 3 men who are employed with RailWorks, an Illinois company that had been doing work on the BNSF railroad tracks in Prairie.

The suspects are identified as 24 year old Jacob Erwin, 22 year old Thomas Wilkins, and 24 year old Kellen Jeffords, all Illinois residents. All three are being held in the Crawford County jail in Prairie du Chien on various counts of burglary and battery. Those charges could be upgraded. Bond was set at $10,000 to $25,000.

A preliminary court hearing is set for November 2nd.