Driver seriously injured after high-speed pursuit ends in violent crash



MILWAUKEE -- A high-speed chase left a trail of destruction after a suspect raced away from Wauwatosa police. It ended in a rollover crash on Milwaukee's west side early Friday morning, Sept. 21.

At around 2 a.m., Wauwatosa police saw a car speeding near 74th and Milwaukee Avenue. Earlier in the morning, Wauwatosa police received a report of an attempted vehicle theft near the same area. Unknown if the two were related, the officer followed the vehicle to investigate.

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Authorities pulled over the vehicle near 58th and Vliet. As the officer was getting out of the squad car, the suspect vehicle fled eastbound at a high rate of speed.

Police chased the vehicle down Vliet Street before it lost control and crashed into a stop light near 35th and Vliet.

Pursuit ends in crash near 35th and Vliet



Pursuit ends in crash near 35th and Vliet



"Heard a loud boom. It sounded like an explosion. Car pieces everywhere,"  said Xavier Davis, lives nearby.

Neighbors felt the impact.

"It kind of shook the whole building," said Davis.



Davis came downstairs around 2 a.m. Friday morning to the grisly scene.

"We seen the car upside down. You could smell the gas everywhere," said Davis.

After flipping several times, the driver was ejected, along with vehicle parts.

Pursuit ends in crash near 35th and Vliet



"It was really bad," said Davis.

"I can't believe the engine came off the car. That's how fast it must have been going," said Dulce Trejo.

Trejo owns the building that was struck by the flying projectile.

"They hit my side of the wall. The whole brick caved in and cracked on both sides. It's going to be a headache," said Trejo.

Pursuit ends in crash near 35th and Vliet



While she started to clean up and looked ahead to repairs, she and others on the block said they're grateful no innocent bystanders were caught in the path.

"It's scary because what if someone was coming out at the time? What if the car caught fire when it hit the wall? The building could have been on fire. We have a child here. It's scary," said Trejo.

The suspect, who suffered serious injuries, was arrested for felony fleeing an officer and on suspicion of operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated, his second offense.

Charges will be referred to the Milwaukee County District Attorney's Office.

Police said the vehicle was not stolen.