Wisconsin DNR purchased sonar with $9,000 in restitution from Ryan Borgwardt | The Locally Times
The agency used funds from a staged 2024 boating fatality case to buy equipment that located two missing people.
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) spent $9,000 in court-ordered restitution to buy a towfish sonar unit. The device maps lake bottoms to locate missing persons and underwater hazards. The Green Lake County Circuit Court ordered the payment from Ryan Borgwardt, who staged a boating fatality on Big Green Lake in August 2024. Following the staged incident, the DNR spent 350 hours on search operations before authorities determined the individual fled to Europe. The sonar unit became operational in June 2026 and has since been deployed on four missions, locating two missing individuals. ## Operational Use The towfish sonar allows the DNR underwater search and recovery team to scan for submerged items remotely. This reduces the time public safety divers spend in deep-water zones or areas with entanglement risks. Beyond search-and-rescue, the Division of Public Safety and Resource Protection uses the sonar to protect infrastructure, respond to environmental spills, and monitor submerged cultural resources like shipwrecks in Lake Michigan. ## Financial Records The $9,000 expenditure represents a portion of the restitution paid by the individual involved in the 2024 incident. The DNR July 15 release does not state the total restitution paid or the total cost of the 2024 search operation. Records do not specify if the $9,000 covered the full purchase price of the sonar unit or if the agency used supplemental state funding. ## Resident Impact The sonar deployment provides a specialized asset that reduces the time required to locate missing persons on public waterways. This equipment does not change tax rates or municipal fees. The DNR Division of Public Safety and Resource Protection maintains the equipment for statewide use. ## Key Questions **Where did the money for the new sonar equipment come from?** The $9,000 used to purchase the towfish sonar came from court-ordered restitution paid by Ryan Borgwardt, who staged a boating fatality on Big Green Lake in 2024. **How effective has the new equipment been so far?** Within weeks of becoming operational, the sonar unit has been deployed to four missions and has successfully located two missing people.