Police in Dodgeville, Wisconsin, were called after several people reported a woman yelling, swearing, and causing a disturbance near a local business, with the confrontation reportedly beginning over her frustration that the store was not serving ice cream the way she remembered.
According to bodycam footage reviewed by the Midwest Patrol host, the woman had become upset at Catherine’s Market over square ice cream scoops, a style she said reminded her of her childhood and family memories. What began as a complaint about ice cream reportedly turned into shouting, obscene gestures, profanity toward employees and customers, and an alleged threat to burn the business down.
The incident happened on July 21, 2025, according to Midwest Patrol. Officers were called after multiple reports described a woman yelling and screaming near the business, and one employee told police the situation had become uncomfortable enough that she brought the woman outside to move her away from customers.
The footage shows officers trying to understand what happened while the woman, identified in the bodycam audio as Andrea, spoke emotionally about family stress, treatment plans, alcohol use, and disappointment over what she believed had changed at the business.
By the end of the encounter, officers arrested her on disorderly conduct allegations. Midwest Patrol later reported that prosecutors ultimately filed one misdemeanor disorderly conduct count with a repeater modifier, and the woman later entered a no-contest plea.
A Complaint About Ice Cream Quickly Escalated
The woman told officers that she was upset because the business was different from what she remembered.
She repeatedly referred to “square ice cream,” saying she believed the store should use the same style of scoop or serving method that had existed when her family was associated with the place.
“I’m sad because it’s different from what I remember,” she said in the footage.
An employee at Catherine’s Market told officers that the woman was talking about how her family had owned the business and that new owners should continue its traditions. The employee said the woman kept insisting the shop should use the square ice cream serving style, even after being told the business did have square options available.
The employee said the woman became increasingly upset, flipped off people in the store, and continued complaining in front of other customers.
“She was really freaking out,” the employee told officers.
At one point, the employee said the woman made an alleged threat that if the business did not use the square scoop, she would come back and burn the place down.
That allegation changed the nature of the call.
A customer being disappointed in a menu item is not a police matter. But a public confrontation involving yelling, threats, and aggressive behavior can quickly become one, especially when employees and customers believe a person may return or escalate further.
Officers Find Her Away From The Business
When officers located Andrea, she was no longer inside Catherine’s Market.
She told police she had gone to bars earlier and said she probably should not have. She also spoke about going to treatment soon and told officers she had not used drugs for several days.
The bodycam footage shows her shifting quickly between apologizing, becoming frustrated, and returning to the ice cream issue.
“I was kind of bummed,” she said. “That was it.”
She insisted she had not intended to be mean, though she acknowledged that she had been verbally rude and told officers she had apologized.
The officers did not immediately arrest her. Instead, they asked questions, tried to establish where she lived, and waited for another officer to return from Catherine’s Market with more information from the employees.
Andrea appeared frustrated by the questions and repeatedly asked why officers were involved.
At times, she seemed to understand that the encounter was serious. At other moments, she minimized it by returning to the argument that the issue was simply “square ice cream.”
That disconnect is one of the clearest parts of the footage. The business employees were describing an escalating public disturbance, while Andrea appeared to view the episode as an emotional disagreement over a family tradition.
Employees Describe Yelling, Swearing, And Threats
When an officer returned from the business, he told Andrea that employees had reported she was yelling and swearing at staff and customers.
“You are yelling and cussing at the employees there and other customers,” the officer said.
Andrea responded that she felt bad and wanted the employees to know she was sorry.
She said she would not go back to the business.
But the officers also asked her directly about the language she had used. The footage includes Andrea using profane and offensive language while discussing what she might have said during the confrontation.
The officers explained that loud, boisterous conduct and profane language directed at people in public can support a disorderly conduct investigation depending on the circumstances.
Andrea pushed back, saying she believed she had a legal right to walk away and did not understand why the police were treating the incident as serious.
The officers did not focus only on the ice cream complaint. Their concern was the overall conduct reported by witnesses: yelling, cursing, obscene gestures, and the alleged threat to burn the business down.
The Midwest Patrol host framed the incident as a meltdown over “ice cream geometry,” but the footage shows that the police response was driven by the alleged threats and disruption, not by a disagreement over whether ice cream should be square, round, or served any particular way.
Family Stress Appeared To Be Part Of The Background
Throughout the bodycam footage, Andrea spoke about her father and other relatives.
She said her father was important to her and appeared emotionally distressed about family problems. She also mentioned that she had not seen family members for a long time and said she was upset about changes connected to the business.
At one point, she described herself as being “a baby” and “ridiculous” over the square ice cream issue.
She also said she was supposed to go to a treatment center.
Those comments do not excuse the alleged conduct, but they provide some context for why the encounter appeared so emotionally charged. The dispute seemed to be about more than dessert. It appeared connected to memory, family ownership, expectations, and a difficult period in her personal life.
The officers generally allowed her to talk, even when she became sarcastic or confrontational.
They repeatedly told her they were still waiting to hear the full account from Catherine’s Market and that they needed to determine whether a crime had occurred.
That was a reasonable step. In a situation involving conflicting emotions and an alleged threat, officers needed witness statements from the people inside the business before deciding whether to make an arrest.
Officers Make The Arrest
After speaking with employees and confirming the reported disturbance, officers told Andrea she was under arrest for disorderly conduct.
“Andrew, at this point, you’re under arrest for disorderly conduct,” one officer said, using the name heard in the footage.
She appeared confused and asked what she had done.
Officers said the arrest was based on the alleged yelling, swearing, and conduct directed toward the employees and others inside the business.
Andrea continued to complain about the situation, saying she was supposed to go to treatment and had just arrived in town. She also expressed frustration about the number of officers nearby.
The footage shows officers attempting to place her in handcuffs and guide her into a squad vehicle.
During that process, she complained about her arm and told officers not to touch her in certain ways. Officers repeatedly instructed her to stop pulling away and to sit in the vehicle.
The arrest did not appear to involve major force, but it was tense.
Andrea insulted officers and criticized a supervisor who arrived at the scene. The officers remained focused on securing her, documenting her belongings, and preparing her for transport.
The bodycam footage later shows police gathering property from her bag and placing items into safekeeping.
Court Records Show A Misdemeanor Conviction
Midwest Patrol reported that Andrea was initially arrested on two disorderly conduct allegations and a probation violation.
According to the channel, prosecutors later filed one count of disorderly conduct, a Class B misdemeanor, with a repeater modifier.
At her initial court appearance, she stood mute, and the court entered a not-guilty plea on her behalf.
She later entered a no-contest plea under a joint recommendation, Midwest Patrol reported. The court found her guilty, sentenced her to eight days in jail with credit for time served, and ordered her to pay $20 in court costs.
The case is a reminder that minor public disputes can become criminal matters when they involve threats or behavior that frightens employees, disrupts customers, or creates concern that someone may return to cause harm.
Most people have a favorite childhood food, store, restaurant, or local tradition they wish had not changed. But frustration over nostalgia is not a license to threaten workers or turn a public business into the center of a confrontation.
According to the Midwest Patrol host, the incident began with a dispute over square ice cream scoops.
It ended with police reports, an arrest, court proceedings, and a misdemeanor conviction.
Ed spent his childhood in the backwoods of Maine, where harsh winters taught him the value of survival skills. With a background in bushcraft and off-grid living, Ed has honed his expertise in fire-making, hunting, and wild foraging. He writes from personal experience, sharing practical tips and hands-on techniques to thrive in any outdoor environment. Whether it’s primitive camping or full-scale survival, Ed’s advice is grounded in real-life challenges.
