FOND DU LAC COUNTY, Wis. - A 40-year-old man from Hatley, Wisconsin (just east of Wausau) is in police custody in Fond du Lac County following a high-speed chase that covered nearly 23 miles on snow-covered and slippery roadways.
According to the Fond du Lac County Sheriff's Office, the Fond du Lac County Communication Center received a report of a reckless driving on I-41 around 10 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 21. The caller indicated the suspect vehicle was traveling from the ditch to the median, covering both lanes of traffic, and speeding.
A short time later, a Fond du Lac County sheriff's deputy found the suspect vehicle on northbound I-41 near County Highway N in the Town of Eldorado. The vehicle was driving in a hazardous fashion. The deputy attempted to stop the vehicle, activating his emergency lights and siren. But the driver increased his speed, fleeing from the deputy.
Another deputy was assisting a citizen with a disabled vehicle a short distance north of the pursuit on I-41. The disabled vehicle created a small traffic backup. As the pursuit approached the disabled vehicle and backup, the driver being pursued attempted to pass vehicles on the right shoulder. In doing so, the driver struck a vehicle that had four people including two children inside. The deputy at that location was able to successfully deploy a tire deflation device, causing the suspect vehicle’s front passenger tire to go flat and eventually come off the rim. The suspect continued to travel at high speeds with three tires on snow-covered roads.
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Officials say the driver being pursued exited I-41 and began to travel south on Algoma Boulevard towards Oshkosh. He turned off his headlights and was traveling into oncoming lanes of traffic at times. He drove the wrong way on a one-way road as well as traveling through red traffic lights and stop signs without yielding.
The driver being pursued continued eastbound on Washington Avenue. As he approached the end of the road at Lake Winnebago, he exited the moving vehicle, and began to run on foot. The vehicle continued to travel a short distance before it came to rest off of the road.
Assisting in the pursuit were two Fond du Lac County K-9 deputies. K-9 Iro was deployed to attempt to locate the suspect. Commands were given to the driver being pursued, warning that Iro may be released. In response to this, the Hatley man stopped running, however he did not fully comply with verbal commands. Once K-9 Iro was near the Hatley man, he then became compliant.
The entire pursuit covered approximately 22.8 miles.
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The Hatley man is suspected of being under the influence of heroin, marijuana, and possibly other illegal substances while engaged in the pursuit. A search of his record indicated he was out on felony bond from a Milwaukee County case for manufacture/ deliver cocaine. As a result of his actions, he is being charged with the following counts:
- Felony bail jumping
- First-degree reckless endangering safety
- Hit and run to an attended vehicle
- Felony fleeing
- Resisting/obstructing an officer
The Hatley man is also receiving citations for unsafe lane deviation, operating while under the influence 2nd offense, and operating with a revoked driver license due to OWI.