Saratoga shooting followed struggle with gun

WISCONSIN RAPIDS — A 17-year-old Juneau County teen accused of killing a Saratoga woman on Tuesday pleaded not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect.

Miguel-Angel Oertel is charged with first-degree reckless homicide in the Aug. 17 killing of 47-year-old Theresa Coates at her Saratoga home.

About 25 family members and friends of Oertel sat quietly behind him during Tuesday's hearing. Oertel, whose face shows the scars of a recent bullet wound, was dressed in an orange jail suit and wearing shackles.

An equal number of people supporting Coates' family sat behind Wood County District Attorney Craig Lambert. Following Oertel's court appearance, an employee from the district attorney's office escorted Coates' family to a jury room for a private conversation.

Oertel went to Coates' Saratoga residence on Aug. 17 after threatening to commit suicide in a social media message to a 17-year-old girl, according to court documents. When Oertel arrived at the Saratoga home with a shotgun, Coates went into the residence to call police and Oertel followed her inside. The two struggled over the shotgun, which went off during the struggle, according to court documents. Coates later died from her injuries at Ministry Saint Joseph's Hospital in Marshfield.

Wood County Investigator Sgt. Scott Machotka testified Tuesday that Oertel had messaged a 17-year-old girl in the Coates home that he planned to kill himself in front of the girl.

Machotka said he talked to Oertel three times in the hospital following the shooting. Oertel was saddened to learn that Coates had died, Machotka said.

"He said 'that's unfortunate because now (her daughters) don't have any parents left," Machotka said.

The 17-year-old girl at the residence, who had broken up with Oertel, was standing at the bottom of the stairs watching Coates and Oertel struggle over the gun when it went off, hitting Coates, Machotka said. She then saw Oertel shoot himself in the face.

When deputies arrived, Coates and Oertel were lying a few feet from each other, and Oertel was lying on top of the gun, Machotka said. An ambulance took them to a helicopter, which transported them to the hospital.

If convicted, Oertel faces a maximum of 60 years in prison. He remains in jail pending the posting of a $500,000 cash bond.

You can contact reporter Karen Madden at 715-423-7200, ext. 4729, karen.madden@gannettwisconsin.com or follow her on Twitter @KMadden715