"Pretty insane:" Officials say man who wanted to die led pursuit lasting nearly 2 hours



Steven Gaffney



BIG BEND -- A vehicle was stolen from a driveway in Big Bend and taken on a wild ride! A pursuit, spanning multiple counties, lasting nearly two hours, ended in a crash.

Deputies tried stopping the vehicle early Friday morning, July 21st, when the driver took off. The chase lasted nearly two hours, and it was captured by dash camera.

The owners of the vehicle said they're stunned by what happened.

Pursuit of vehicle stolen from driveway in Big Bend



Jason and Sara Frame



"Whoa! Holy cow!" Jason Frame said.

It's hard to put into words what it's like to see your car involved in a high-speed chase -- especially when you don't know the man behind the wheel.

"That's pretty insane. Don't expect to see your car ever do that," Frame said.

After midnight on Friday, in the Village of Big Bend, Jason and Sara Frame's red Kia Sportage was stolen from their driveway.

"It jars you when something is taken from you," Frame said.

Vehicle stolen from driveway in Big Bend



Steven Gaffney



Investigators say 52-year-old Steven Gaffney stole the crossover vehicle. Deputies tried stopping him when the headlights weren't on, but he took off. Dash camera footage shows deputies chasing the vehicle from Waukesha County to Milwaukee County. The driver refused to pull over.

It wasn't until two hours later that Gaffney lost control, flipped the vehicle and came to a crashing stop. The Kia landed on its hood, and eventually, deputies took Gaffney into custody.

"When you see it, it's just shocking," Frame said.

Photos show the aftermath of the crash. The front end of the vehicle was smashed, and windows busted.

PHOTO GALLERY



"It's not the car. It's more the sense of security and the safety," Sara Frame said.

Pursuit of vehicle stolen from driveway in Big Bend



Pursuit of vehicle stolen from driveway in Big Bend



The whole ordeal has left the Big Bend couple shaken, but thankful they're OK.

" I never expected that to happen to me. It's true. You don't," Jason Frame said.

Investigators say Gaffney admitted that he purposely tried to get into a police chase, and wanted to die. They say he told them he initially tried overdosing on crack cocaine.

In court on Wednesday, July 26th, a competency exam was ordered for Gaffney.