Multiple 911 calls about wrong-way driver lead to man sought in Silver Alert

Dennis Ullman

GERMANTOWN -- A Silver Alert for a Mishicot man was canceled after he was pulled over for driving the wrong way on I-41/45 near Germantown on Wednesday night, March 13.

Dennis Ullman, 75, was missing for 15 hours. When he was pulled over for driving the wrong way, deputies said he was 25 miles away from where he thought he was.

"We have no idea where he was from 7 a.m. until 10:45 p.m.," said Martin Schulteis, Washington County sheriff.

Dennis Ullman

There was concern when Ullman never returned home after leaving to go to a wellness center. It turns out, he never checked in.

After 15 hours of searching, Ullman was found, thanks to multiple 911 calls.

"Our dispatch center began to receive multiple 911 calls of a wrong-way driver on Interstate 41," Schulteis said.

Ullman was safely pulled over on Interstate 41 just north of Holy Hill Road, where he was heading northbound in the southbound lanes for several miles.

"It was probably 6.5 to 7 miles," Schulteis said.

The Washington County sheriff said it is a miracle no one was hurt.

"This is not a small country road. This is a major interstate," Schulteis said.

Because a Silver Alert was issued, it helped identify who he was.

"The Silver Alerts are very effective, because it ties their missing status to their license plate," Schulteis said.

This was the second wrong-way driver incident in less than a week in Washington County. The sheriff suggested staying in the right lane while driving -- just as a safety precaution.

"If you as a driver stay on the right-hand side of the road, there's less of a chance that you'd hit head on," Schulteis said.

The sheriff said Ullman does have a valid driver's license, but said he would be re-evaluated after this incident.