July 6, 2024 – Fond du Lac, WI – On July 5 at 10:19 p.m. a Fond du Lac County Deputy observed a vehicle driving recklessly and driving through a stop sign at a high rate of speed on County Highway B near I41 in Fond du Lac County.
The Deputy activated his emergency lights/sirens and attempted to stop the vehicle. The suspect vehicle increased its speed and a pursuit was initiated.
The suspect vehicle then got on to I41 southbound from County Highway B and continued driving recklessly. The Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Office requested assistance from neighboring agencies to assist with the pursuit.
The suspect vehicle attempted to exit I41 near Slinger in an attempt to avoid tire deflation devices.
At this time the Fond du Lac County Deputy performed a Pursuit Intervention Technique (P.I.T.) in an effort to end the pursuit.
The PIT was successful, however the suspect vehicle was able to regain control and enter back onto the highway near Slinger and continued southbound.
At this time Washington County Deputies and Germantown Police Officers were able to successfully deploy tire-deflation devices on the suspect vehicle.
The suspect vehicle then attempted to exit the highway on County Line Road and lost control and drove down into a ditch where the vehicle became disabled.
A passenger ran from the initial crash but was taken into custody immediately by a Wisconsin State Patrol Trooper. The driver was taken into custody cooperatively after a high-risk stop was conducted.
The suspect’s vehicle received substantial damage from when it ran off the roadway and crashed into the ditch.
Some bystander vehicles also struck the tire deflation devices and received flat tires as a result from attempts to disable the suspect’s vehicle during the pursuit.
The passenger received injuries from running through thick vegetation at the conclusion of the pursuit. He was transported to a local hospital and was released to deputies’ custody after being evaluated.
The driver is a 32-year-old male from Fond du Lac.
He received felony charges of fleeing/eluding, recklessly endangering safety, and possession of THC 2nd+. The driver is a convicted felon with a lengthy criminal history.
The passenger was also a convicted felon and had a nationwide felony arrest warrant for his arrest through Probation and Parole. He also received charges of resisting/obstructing.
Assisting with the pursuit was Washington County Sheriff’s Office, Slinger Police Department, Germantown Police Department and Wisconsin State Patrol. The pursuit lasted approximately 41 miles.