Man charged after leading police on chase at 120 mph near La Crosse

LA CROSSE, Wis. — Prosecutors have charged a Mindoro man in connection with a police chase that reached speeds of 120 mph.

The La Crosse Tribune reports that 22-year-old Frederick Clements faces charges of first-degree recklessly endangering safety and fleeing an officer, both felonies. The counts were filed Friday in La Crosse County Circuit Court.

According to the criminal complaint, police in West Salem tried to stop Clements on April 20 after spotting him doing 45 mph in a 25 mph zone on a residential street in a Mitsubishi Eclipse convertible with no license plates.

Instead of stopping, Clements accelerated to 65 mph in a 35 mph zone and then ran a stop sign. The officer chasing him reached speeds of up to 113 mph before calling off the chase because it was too dangerous to continue.

Clements turned himself later that night, the complaint said.

He told police he fled because he was close to getting his license back and didn't want an operating after suspension citation. He said he knew he was driving recklessly by driving so fast in a residential area and passing in a no-passing zone at 120 mph, according to the complaint.

Online court records didn't list an attorney for Clements on Sunday.