Man who tried to drive through parade charged

A 26-year-old man who sparked fear among bystanders as he tried to drive a work truck through the Grafton High School homecoming parade last week is in trouble with the law, but not because of his driving.

When officers confronted Milwaukee resident Conor D. Rohrer, they noticed the smell of marijuana emanating from his truck and a witness said he got a contact high from being near the vehicle, according to a criminal complaint charging Rohrer in Ozaukee County Circuit Court with felony counts of maintaining a drug trafficking place and possession of marijuana. He is also charged with a misdemeanor count of disorderly conduct

Officers were called to the intersection of 16th Avenue and Bridge Street at 6:50 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 3, and found Rohrer, who was belligerent and began yelling at officers, the complaint states.

Witnesses told authorities that before they arrived, Rohrer was extremely agitated and honked his horn at and challenged people along the parade route who tried to block him from driving across the street, according to the complaint.

One witness said it appeared someone had moved a barricade and a vehicle drove across the street during a gap in the parade procession.

Parade-goers then filled in the area where the barricade had been to block other vehicles from crossing the parade route when the Lions Flooring truck driven by Rohrer approached the intersection. A witness said Rohrer, who appeared as if he was looking for a fight, began cursing at the people blocking the street, then got out of the truck and challenged one of them, the complaint states.

The witness said he was afraid the incident was going to be reminiscent of the 2021 Waukesha Christmas parade during which six people were killed and dozens injured by Darrell Brooks, who drove an SUV through the parade.

Rohrer, however, told officers he was just trying to get home after a long day at work and didn’t realize there was a parade in Grafton that night. He said he tried to drive down 16th Avenue when he saw a gap in the crowd but was confronted by a bystander, according to the complaint.

The crimes Rohrer is accused of are charged as second and subsequent offenses because of his previous convictions.

According to court records, he was convicted in 2018 of delivering drugs, including cocaine and marijuana, in Waukesha County, where months earlier he was convicted of possession with intent to deliver marijuana.

Rohrer was released from the Ozaukee County jail earlier this week after posting $4,000 bail.