Oshkosh Paper Publishes Wagstaff Arrest Reports

Just when you thought the dust had cleared surrounding aerobatic ace Patty Wagstaff's unfortunate brush with the law at last year's AirVenture, a whole slew of new details has emerged.

In response to an open records request by The Oshkosh Northwestern, the Winnebago County District Attorney's office has made the police reports of Wagstaff's July 31 arrest public.

The reports made by officers that arrested and processed Wagstaff paint a picture of an intoxicated, stubborn individual who was verbally abusive and physically uncooperative.

Accounts of the incident describe a belligerent Wagstaff, refusing to comply with booking procedures and lacing her slurred speech with profanity and demeaning, rude remarks.

Wagstaff admitted Friday she "probably did use a few choice words" during her booking "because I'm not used to being treated that way," and felt the officers went overboard.

"I don't think they gave me a chance. They didn't offer me a field sobriety test," she said. "They were just real excited when they got there and I never understood why."

"I made a mistake and got on the runway. But we had all the credentials," Wagstaff said, adding that airshow performers are frequently provided with vehicles and driving passes to get to their planes. "It's totally normal. It's expected. It's another part of what's so bizarre about the whole thing."

EAA spokesman Dick Knapinski said Wagstaff has accepted the invitation to return to AirVenture in 2009 and is excited about performing again. "Everyone in Oshkosh has been so wonderful," Wagstaff said. "The people in stores, restaurants and everywhere couldn't be nicer. It was another reason the whole incident was so shocking to me. The people there are the nicest in the world."

Another curious aspect of the tale is the timing of the Northwestern's records request. One might wonder, apart from satisfying idle curiosity, just what purpose can it serve after Wagstaff's court case is already a done deal?

Since the matter has been dragged up again, though, there are a few points that have not yet been made public... Cirrus's Alan Klapmeier reported, on the record, that he saw no evidence of alcoholic issues when he talked directly to Wagstaff some fifteen minutes before the arrest, while attending the Gathering of Eagles, an EAA Young Eagle benefit event. Klapmeier, when asked for comment on the Northwestern story, noted that he was "disappointed that only one side of the story has come out."

Further; while the LEO statements were made public, none of the statements made by those in the car with her (during the altercation) seems to have come to light... yet.

ANN tried to contact Patty to get her side of the story, but she's currently out of the country. Stay tuned.

FMI: www.airventure.org, www.pattywagstaff.com