Former Racine alderman not guilty of attempting to flee officer

Racine Alderman Edwin Santiago, charged with attempting to flee an officer

A Racine County jury found a former Racine alderman not guilty on Wednesday, Feb. 28 to a felony charge of attempting to flee an officer

Edwin Santiago was an alderman when court documents state a Caledonia police officer spotted Santiago speeding on Feb. 20, 2021. When the officer tried to pull the alderman over, Santiago started going even faster.

Charging documents state the officer clocked Santiago going 53 mph on Douglas Avenue near St. Rita's Road; the speed limit is 35 mph.

At one point, the officer went 84 mph trying to catch up to Santiago, who sped up when the officer first turned around to initiate the pursuit. About a mile down the road, the car stopped along Short Street in Racine.

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Court documents state the more Santiago spoke, "the more officers could hear him slurring his words." After failing field sobriety tests, the complaint states the alderman told officers he drank four Miller Lites earlier in the day.