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The man charged with firing his gun into the air during the Blake Hoax Riot in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on August 25, 2020 — a report that Kyle Rittenhouse heard just before he shot and killed child rapist Joseph Rosenbaum — now faces more serious charges that could end in what amounts to a life sentence in prison.
Joshua Ziminski still awaits trial for his role in that riot, but yesterday in Kenosha County Circuit Court, a judge set high bail for Ziminski and his wife, Kelly, on a new set of felony charges in connection with robbing and terrorizing a man.
The Robbery
The latest legal trouble for the career criminal began when a man told police that the Ziminskis tried to pull an unusual late-night robbery.
“The man recognized the female as someone he knew as ‘Bonnie,’ a woman he had met about a week before,” the Wisconsin State Journal reported of the criminal complaint:
He said that he thought she was homeless with children and wanted to help her. The man told officers that on a prior occasion, he paid her $30 to $35 to clean the carpets at his apartment. “Bonnie” was later identified as Kelly Ziminski.
Strangely, at about 1:20 a.m., Kelly Ziminski showed up at his door and asked to use the bathroom, the man told police. But two men followed her in, one of whom was Joshua, the newspaper reported:
The man told officers that Joshua Ziminski told him to “Give me the money from the house” and that he replied that he had no money at home but some in the bank. He said Joshua Ziminski then grabbed him by the arms and was holding a knife in his hand with the blade closed, according to the complaint. The man said the second man punched him in the face twice and then they pushed him into a truck.
The suspects then drove him to four gas stations and unsuccessfully tried to use his debit card to withdraw money from ATMs. When they returned to the first station, the victim fled the suspects.
Joshua Ziminksi tells the preposterous tale of a man defending his wife. He told cops that she agreed to clean the man’s apartment for $200, and when they showed up at 1:30 a.m. for her to do so, the man assaulted and raped her, the newspaper reported:
Joshua Ziminski also reportedly stated that he went inside and confronted the man and hit him a few times and demanded the full $200 for Kelly Ziminski’s cleaning services. Joshua Ziminski also said that the man denied having the money but offered to go to an ATM with them to withdraw it. He also said the man at one point handed the debit card to him and told him to try to use it.
Prosecutors charged Joshua Ziminski with six felonies and one misdemeanor. Kelly Ziminski is charged with five of the same six felonies and the same misdemeanor battery charge. The felonies in common are armed burglary, false imprisonment, intimidating a victim, robbery with a threat of force, and misappropriating ID to obtain money. Joshua Ziminski was also charged with felony bail jumping.
As a practical matter, the Ziminskis face life in prison. Joshua, 37, could land in prison for almost 60 years. Kelly, 32, might see more than 50 years.
Riot Participant
In connection with his actions the night of August 25, 2020, Ziminski faces charges of felony arson and three misdemeanors: disorderly conduct, obstructing an officer, and using a dangerous weapon.
The arson charge stems from Ziminski’s starting and manipulating fires, the State Journal reported:
Video on Kelly Ziminski’s phone showed Joshua Ziminski tossing a match into a dumpster and then asking the crowd for lighter fluid to help the fire spread, according to the criminal complaint.
Joshua Ziminski then pushed the dumpster onto Sheridan Road.…
In another video … Joshua Ziminski is seen near a trailer that is overturned and on fire in the 5800 block of Sheridan Road “manipulating the fire with his right foot.”
The dangerous weapon charge is for the shot Ziminski fired from a stolen gun, police allege, that Rittenhouse heard as child rapist Rosenbaum chased him. Rittenhouse shot the rapist when he reached for Rittenhouse’s rifle. Rittenhouse also shot and killed convicted strangler Anthony Huber, who attacked Rittenhouse with his skateboard, and shot Gaige Grosskreutz when he aimed an illegally carried handgun at Rittenhouse.
A jury acquitted Rittenhouse of all charges.
H/T: Kenosha County Eye
