41-year-old New Berlin woman takes police on wild chase; punches officer in the face



NEW BERLIN -- A traffic stop turns dangerous. A 41-year-old woman allegedly led police on a car chase through multiple cities and counties, before she was arrested in her hometown of New Berlin -- and she didn't go quietly.



As they tried to arrest her, police say she punched a New Berlin officer in the face. She was then struck by a police baton and tased as she continued resisting arrest.

She had been running from police long before that though.

It appeared to be a routine traffic stop at Highway 167 and I-41 early Thursday morning, August 11th -- but the suspect's vehicle took off.

Germantown police and Washington County Sheriff's deputies took off in a pursuit around 12:15 a.m., following the 41-year-old driver for several miles through the northwestern part of Germantown.

Law enforcement had to fall back because the suspect's driving became too dangerous to follow. But they eventually caught up to her, despite her apparent efforts to hide from them.



She was found in Cabela's parking lot in Richfield, with her vehicle lights off.

Cabela's



When they spotted her, she tried to drive away again -- but this time, squads blocked her.

The woman hit two of them, causing damage to a sheriff's squad and police say, she narrowly missed a Germantown officer.

She took off once again.

The supervisor for Germantown on duty Thursday, says one of the reasons he told his officers not to pursue is the suspect got on I-45/41 southbound, and it is all construction. He was worried about the safety of the workers.

The vehicle they'd been chasing was registered to a 41-year-old New Berlin woman. So they called New Berlin police, who went to the woman's house and confronted her right as she pulled into her driveway.



That's when police say she punched one of the officers in the face.

The suspect subsequently was hit with a police baton and tased, then arrested for OWI and battery to a police officer.

There were no serious injuries, but police say there could have been.

The Washington County Sheriff's Office is requesting recklessly endangering safety to be added to potential charges.



She will remain in the Waukesha County Jail until she can be transferred to the Washington County Sheriff's Office.