A Washington County Sheriff’s deputy attempted to stop a vehicle traveling more than 100 mph northbound on I-41, near Freistadt Road in the Village of Germantown on Thursday, October 8 at 12:28 a.m. The driver failed to stop and fled from the deputy.
Deputies pursued the vehicle through portions of the villages of Germantown, Richfield, Jackson, and Slinger, as well as the Town of Polk. During the incident, the vehicle traveled through residential yards in the Village of Jackson.
The chase was initially terminated near the I-41 and State Highway 60 interchange because of safety concerns involving road construction workers in the area. The vehicle was later located again in the Slinger area.
Law enforcement deployed tire-deflation devices on American Eagle Drive, successfully disabling the vehicle. The vehicle came to a stop near Cedar Bluffs Drive in Slinger, where the driver fled on foot. Officers then established a perimeter and conducted a search with assistance from the Germantown Police Department drone unit, Grafton Police Department K-9 unit, Jackson Police Department, Slinger Police Department, and Wisconsin State Patrol. The driver was not located.
During a search of the abandoned vehicle, deputies located a substance that field-tested positive for methamphetamine.
Investigators later learned the vehicle involved in the incident may have been reported stolen from Langlade County. During the response and search efforts, a vehicle belonging to a construction worker was also determined to be missing from the I-41 and State Highway 60 construction area. The Slinger Police Department is investigating that theft.
“High-speed pursuits are among the most dangerous decisions law enforcement officers face,” said Washington County Sheriff Martin Schulteis in a press release. “Our deputies must balance the need to hold offenders accountable with our overriding responsibility to protect the public, our personnel, and everyone on the roadway. We will act decisively when necessary, but safety and sound judgment will always guide our response.”
The Sheriff’s Office has identified a person of interest and the investigation continues.
