La Crosse judges take two plea agreements in local deaths

Bartsh and Potts both avoid trials for deaths caused in the last 4 years

Two people who were supposed to be tried this month in La Crosse County for causing the deaths of others have both avoided trials with plea agreements. 

Both Dylan Bartsh of Holmen and Takeyhia Potts of La Crosse entered “no contest” pleas in their separate cases, and they will be sentenced on consecutive days in March. 

Bartsh was the father of 3-year-old Audryna Bartsh, who died in 2014 after being physically abused, underfed, and allegedly forced to eat salt. 

Last fall, Dylan’s girlfriend Jaymie Rundle was convicted for contributing to the toddler’s death, and received an 8-month jail sentence.

Potts entered her plea for supplying the drugs which led to the 2016 overdose death of a La Crosse man, Casey Eggen.

After Eggen died from taking heroin and fentanyl, police found drug-related messages to Potts on his phone.

As part of the plea agreement, the DA’s office will recommend a 3-year prison term for Potts.