'It was just chaos:' Driver crashes into tree near 55th and Lisbon while fleeing from police



Police pursuit ends in crash near 55th and Lisbon in Milwaukee



MILWAUKEE -- A fleeing driver was transported to the hospital early Friday morning, Sept. 20 following a police pursuit and crash. The driver crashed into a massive tree on someone's front yard -- and the homeowner says it was absolute chaos.

The pursuit started in West Allis and ended in Milwaukee. According to police, it began around 12:30 a.m. after officers attempted to perform a traffic stop on a vehicle in the area of 60th and Washington. The driver refused to pull over and fled from officers northbound on S. 60 Street.

Police pursuit ends in crash near 55th and Lisbon in Milwaukee



The pursuit continued northbound into the City of Milwaukee -- where the driver lost control of the vehicle, exited the roadway, and struck a large tree in front of 55th and Lisbon.

Police pursuit ends in crash near 55th and Lisbon in Milwaukee



Melisa Johnson was home when she heard what sounded like an explosion. When she looked outside, she saw the crash.

"It was just chaos," said Johnson. A driver slammed into a massive tree on her front lawn.

"My thoughts and prayers were to the driver of the vehicle," said Johnson. "Hoping that he was okay and that he would not pass away in our front yard."

Surveillance video from a gas station nearby shows the chase in the right corner of the screen just moments before the car crashed.

"That's an old tree, and a pretty steady tree," said Keith Wilson, who works nearby. "For that tree to be knocked down, they had to be going pretty fast."

The driver and sole occupant in the vehicle was identified as a 45-year-old man from Milwaukee.  He was extricated from the vehicle by the Milwaukee Fire Department and transported to Froedtert Hospital for treatment.

Police pursuit ends in crash near 55th and Lisbon in Milwaukee



Police pursuit ends in crash near 55th and Lisbon in Milwaukee



As the tree sits uprooted, those who work nearby hope police get to the root of what happened.

"Something needs to be done about all these high-speed chases and pursuits," said Wilson. "People are getting hurt out here."

The Milwaukee Police Department is handling the accident investigation and the West Allis Police Department will be forwarding criminal charges to the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office in the coming days.

No citizens or officers were injured as a result of the accident.

Police pursuit ends in crash near 55th and Lisbon in Milwaukee