Freeway shootout: Two men formally charged after shooting that led to closure of I-43

MILWAUKEE COUNTY -- Two men have now been formally charged in connection with a shootout that occurred on the freeway system in Milwaukee County last Wednesday, December 9th.

The accused are 25-year-old Jerome Johnson of Milwaukee, and 22-year-old Martez Maclin-Dyson.

Martez Maclin-Dyson

Maclin-Dyson faces the following charges:

Johnson faces the following charges:

Jerome Johnson

The criminal complaint says it was shortly before 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, December 9th when officials were dispatched to the area near 10th and Walker for a vehicle possibly involved in a shooting on the freeway (I-43 SB) in the Marquette Interchange just after 10:00 a.m.

Much of this incident was captured by State Traffic Operations Center surveillance cameras, surveillance cameras on the Marquette University campus, and surveillance cameras near 17th and State.

The complaint indicates officials spoke with two men who were inside a white Impala, after arriving at the scene near 10th and Walker.

The driver of that white Impala informed officials he had been grazed in the right thigh area by a bullet. He was able to produce a bullet fragment from his pants pocket. The passenger told officials he had a gun on him, but indicated he had a concealed carry permit for it. A .40 caliber Glock semi-automatic handgun was recovered from the passenger's waistband.

The driver told officials he had entered I-43 SB at N. 8th Street, and as he was driving on 43 near Highland Avenue, he "heard pops," and then saw his right rear window shatter. He said it was a black vehicle with tinted windows that shots were fired from.

The driver said he believed his vehicle was struck "twenty-some times" during the shooting.

According to the complaint, the driver said his passenger returned fire with his own firearm -- towards the black vehicle. That passenger told officials he believed he fired about eight times.

The driver of the white Impala indicated he "had no idea" why they were being shot at.

The driver said the shooting ended near the end of the Marquette Interchange -- near where the southbound 11th Street on-ramp enters southbound I-43 from W. Wisconsin Avenue. The white Impala exited at W. National Avenue, and stopped near 10th and Walker. That's when 911 was called.

The passenger in the white Impala was able to provide authorities with a description of the driver of the black vehicle -- a male, black or Hispanic, in his 20s, light-skinned, wearing a red hooded sweatshirt, black baseball hat and black bandana covering his face. The front seat passenger in the black vehicle was described as a male, black or Hispanic, in his 20s, light skinned wearing a black or blue fleece-type jacket.

The passenger in the white Impala said he observed the black vehicle spin out as they continued driving in the white Impala before they exited at W. National.

A witness told investigators he saw shots being fired from the black vehicle towards the white vehicle, and that he saw the white vehicle with "multiple gunshot holes."

Another witness told officials he was on I-43 southbound near Fond du Lac Avenue when he observed several vehicles driving recklessly on the freeway -- describing the vehicles as a white car, a black sedan and a dark SUV. This witness indicated it appeared the black vehicle and the dark SUV were chasing the white vehicle.

This witness said he saw shots being fired from the black vehicle and the dark SUV towards the white vehicle.

This witness eventually realized his tire was flat, and when he turned it, a bullet hole was found in it.

Another witness said he saw the dark SUV stop -- and two males exited the vehicle, one of them dropping a firearm on the ground. The witness said the man then picked up the gun and placed it in his pocket.

Eventually, a black vehicle picked these two individuals up near the N. 11th Street entrance.

Investigators reviewed surveillance video -- which showed three vehicles involved in the freeway shootout:

The complaint indicates the video revealed the white vehicle, traveling at a high rate of speed on I-43 SB near Highland Avenue, was being followed by the black sedan and dark SUV.

The black sedan eventually crashed into a cement barrier wall -- and the white vehicle continued southbound.

The black vehicle ended up in the distress lane in front of the dark SUV.

Two occupants eventually abandoned the dark SUV in the distress area -- and entered the black sedan, which then headed south at a high rate of speed. The black sedan proceeded in the wrong direction, and exited the freeway via the on-ramp at N. 11th Street.

On N. 12th Street, the vehicle nearly collided with a Milwaukee Police Department unmarked squad.

That unmarked squad pursued the sedan, with the pursuit beginning near Wells and N. 12th Street.

The pursuit ended near 17th and State.

Scene at 17th and State

Four people were seen exiting the black sedan. They fled the scene on foot -- two running eastbound, and two running westbound.

Maclin-Dyson and Johnson were eventually identified as two of those individuals who fled from the scene near 17th and State.

Milwaukee police said initially they were seeking the other two individuals who fled that sedan. It's unclear whether they have been captured.

After fleeing the sedan, the complaint indicates surveillance video showed Maclin-Dyson and Johnson entered an apartment building near 18th and Highland. A key fob for the black sedan was eventually recovered in a hallway.

Maclin-Dyson and Johnson were located by officials, and taken into custody.

A firearm was recovered on the grass under the N. 11th Street on-ramp. That's where a witness had reported seeing two individuals in the distress lane prior to them entering the black sedan from the dark SUV.

Sheriff's deputies recovered "in excess of 50 bullet casings, bullets and bullet fragments, and a black .45 caliber semi-automatic handgun" on the freeway.

Milwaukee police recovered a .45 caliber casing, two .40 caliber cartridges, a .223 caliber cartridge, a three-hole face mask and duct tape from the black sedan.

Latent fingerprints were recovered from the vehicle, and one was matched to Maclin-Dyson.

It was determined that the white Impala had at least 17 holes from gunshots on it. Ten .40 caliber casings were found inside the vehicle.

Freeway shootout -- vehicle riddled with bullets

The 2010 blue Chevrolet Traverse was found abandoned on the freeway.

According to the complaint, officials were able to speak with Johnson. He initially denied knowing Maclin-Dyson, or having any knowledge of the freeway shootout -- also denying he was inside the black Infiniti last Wednesday.

When he was shown still surveillance photos from that apartment building near 18th and Highland, Johnson confirmed it was him, but said he didn't know the other person seen in the photos.

Eventually, Johnson admitted he was in the black Infiniti on Wednesday -- telling officials he was picked up by "Big Man." Johnson said he ran from officers after the sedan stopped near 17th and State because he "didn't want to go back to jail."

Meanwhile -- a search warrant obtained by FOX6 News shows police believe Johnson and Maclin-Dyson may have been involved in a homicide in Milwaukee.

Tony Vance

On November 28th, 34-year-old Tony Vance was killed while driving near Sherman and Bernhard.

The search warrant indicates bullet casings recovered at the scene of that crime match casings recovered from that black Infiniti involved in the freeway shootout.

The complaint makes reference to a 2015 case against Maclin-Dyson for possession with intent to deliver heroin and bail jumping -- and a 2013 case charging him with carrying a concealed weapon.

The complaint makes reference to a 2015 case against Johnson for possession of narcotic drugs.

I-43 SB closed at Fond du Lac Avenue due to "freeway shootout"

I-43 southbound was shut down at Fond du Lac Avenue for hours last Wednesday as officials investigated this case.

I-43 SB closed at Fond du Lac Avenue due to "freeway shootout"

Two other men (the driver and passenger in the white vehicle) were initially arrested, but they are no longer in custody. It's unclear whether they'll be facing any charges in this case.