Milwaukee man accused; bit fingertip off person at wedding

WAUKESHA, Wis. - A 21-year-old Milwaukee man is accused of biting the fingertip off a person at a wedding in the Town of Oconomowoc on Friday, Oct. 27. The accused is Nathan Landsee – and he faces charges of aggravated battery and disorderly conduct. 

According to the criminal complaint, officers were dispatched to The Club at Lac La Belle on Friday, Oct. 27. The Club at Lac La Belle is a golf course and wedding venue. Dispatch told the responding officers that "someone had their fingertip bitten off," the complaint says.

When the officers arrive, the complaint says the defendant "was sitting on a couch with blood on his sleeve, which did not appear to be from him. There was also blood on the floor between the foyer and the ballroom…There were several people remaining inside of the venue who appeared to have been disturbed by this incident, including some who were crying."

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A witness told investigators there were two incidents. The "original incident that occurred was when the defendant had inappropriately touched another guest," the complaint says. Others nearby got upset with the defendant and the "defendant began to yell and became very agitated." The defendant was moved to a side room which was closed off from the main ballroom. The complaint says during that time, "the bride and groom at the venue were trying to calm the defendant down, which led to the second incident."

The complaint says a short time later, "the defendant began yelling loudly and was disorderly again." A second witness entered the room and "and reached a point where they needed to ask the defendant to leave." The complaint indicates this made the defendant even more agitated and he "became very aggressive and continued to be loud."

The Club at Lac La Belle

The first witness told the defendant if he did not leave in five minutes, the police would be called. The complaint says the defendant then "started to lunge at him, and was attempting to strike him." A scuffle ensued -- and when three others pinned the defendant to the ground, "the defendant bit the tip of someone's finger off," the complaint says.

A police sergeant stated "the victim's injuries were significant. It appeared that approximately a half-inch of the finger had been bitten off. The bone inside of the finger appeared to be exposed," the complaint says. The sergeant stated the fingertip was located and put into a cup of ice.

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When police spoke with the defendant, he was cooperative. The complaint says, "It appears though, the defendant was highly intoxicated as he had a strong odor of intoxicants emanating from his person, his eyes were bloodshot and glassy, and his speech was slurred." Landsee told police "he did not know what happened, but that everyone was grabbing him and someone put their hand inside of his mouth, so he bit down," the complaint says. A preliminary breath test sample was taken from the defendant and it registered .210 BAC (Blood Alcohol Content).

Police received a call from the victim on Oct. 29. He "stated that the injury to his finger resulted in 18 or 19 stitches while the surgeon attempted to reattach the tip of his finger," the complaint says. The victim indicated "if the surgery was not successful, he would have a deformity for the rest of his life."

Landsee made his initial appearance in Waukesha County court on Monday, Oct. 30. A signature bond of $25,000 was set. 

Nathan Landsee

FOX6 News spoke with a groomsman by phone. He called the incident "traumatic" for everyone at the wedding. Town of Oconomowoc police declined to comment. Nobody from the venue returned our calls.