Milwaukee 19-mile police chase; man charged, cocaine, fentanyl recovered

MILWAUKEE - A 20-year-old Milwaukee man has been criminally charged in connection to a 19-mile police chase in Milwaukee. Drugs and a large amount of cash were recovered from his vehicle.

The accused, Corey Strong Jr., is charged with the following:

• First degree recklessly endangering safety
• Operating a motor vehicle to flee or in an attempt to elude an officer
• Possession with intent to deliver fentanyl
• Possession with intent to deliver controlled substance (cocaine)

Police chase

The backstory:

According to the criminal complaint, on March 17, shortly before 11 p.m., Milwaukee police spotted a Hyundai Santa Fe traveling westbound on W. Walker Street near Cesar E. Chavez Drive with its registration suspended due to emissions. 

The officer conducted a traffic stop. Court filings say the vehicle slowly rolled to a stop and police made contact with the driver, later identified as Corey Strong Jr. 

Per the complaint, the officer was attempting to get Strong's information when Strong suddenly placed the vehicle into drive and began accelerating at a high speed northbound.

The complaint indicates Strong was driving into oncoming traffic and disregarded a traffic light at the intersection of W. National Avenue and S. Cesar E. Chavez Drive. 

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During the pursuit, Strong's vehicle collided with a concrete median in the area of 20th and Hopkins before traveling into on-coming traffic and driving onto the grass, the complaint states. 

The vehicle, after suffering heavy damage, continued traveling eastbound on Hopkins Street before turning eastbound on Locust Street and stopping against the curb. 

In custody

What we know:

Court filings say Strong then exited the vehicle and ran from the scene before being taken into custody. The officer located a working black digital scale in his jacket pocket.

During a search of the vehicle, officers located a clear plastic baggie containing a chunky white rock-like substance on the driver's floorboard. Police also located clear plastic baggies of a purplish powdery substance. 

Per the complaint, the chunky white rock-like substance tested positive for cocaine. The purplish powdery substance tested positive for fentanyl. 

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Additionally, Strong was in possession of $3,455. Based on the recovered fentanyl and cocaine, the scale, and the large amount of cash, officers believed the drugs were consistent with street-level sales, the complaint states. 

The total length of the pursuit was approximately 19 miles, per the complaint. 

Court proceedings

What's next:

Strong made his initial appearance in court on March 23. Cash bond was set at $10,000. 

Strong is due back in court on March 31 for his preliminary hearing.