Fond du Lac County pursuit lasts 18 miles, goes through airport; 3 arrested
Fond du Lac County Sheriff's Office
FOND DU LAC COUNTY, Wis. - A police chase in Fond du Lac County on Monday, May 19, 2025, lasted nearly 18 miles and went through the Fond du Lac County Airport before coming to an end on I-41 in Fond du Lac.
Chase begins in Fond du Lac County
What we know:
According to the Fond du Lac County Sheriff's Office, just before 8 a.m., a sheriff's deputy saw a vehicle traveling on I-41 that had previously been involved in a vehicle pursuit in the Town of Grand Chute.
The deputy attempted to pull the vehicle over after it exited I-41 and entered US Highway 151. Upon activation of the squad’s emergency lights, the suspect vehicle immediately accelerated and fled southbound on US-151, prompting a pursuit.
The suspect vehicle continued southbound before turning northbound onto Schaefer Road in the Township of Lamartine.
It then traveled westbound on Orchard Road, where more deputies joined the effort to safely stop the vehicle due to the ongoing dangerous driving.
It continued northbound onto Palmer Road and then eastbound on County Highway T.
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Fond du Lac police chase, driver arrested on suspicion of OWI
A man was arrested early Sunday morning in Fond du Lac after he led sheriff's deputies on a short chase.
911 call from passenger
What we know:
During the pursuit, the Fond du Lac County Communications Center received a 911 call from a female passenger in the suspect vehicle. The caller could be heard screaming for help and pleading to be let out of the vehicle.
A tire deflation device was deployed at the intersection of County Highway T and County Highway Y, but it did not stop the vehicle.
Chase goes through the airport
What we know:
The vehicle then turned southbound onto County Highway Y, briefly went into a ditch, came back on the road, and struck a sheriff’s squad.
The vehicle quickly regained control and continued eastbound on County Highway T and Rogersville Road, heading toward the Fond du Lac County Airport.
Air traffic was temporarily halted at the airport as a precaution.
The suspect vehicle entered the airport and drove onto a northbound taxiway. A deputy attempted a Pursuit Intervention Technique (PIT) maneuver, which was unsuccessful.
The vehicle exited the airport property by driving through a field and continued to Johnson Street, where it attempted to get back on I-41.
Chase ends
What we know:
As the vehicle took the on-ramp to I-41 at Johnson Street, another PIT maneuver was successful, causing the vehicle to enter the gore area of the interstate.
Squad cars then boxed in the suspect vehicle, ending the pursuit.
Two passengers were taken into custody without incident. The driver, a 27-year-old male from Menasha, was also taken into custody without further resistance.
Follow-up investigation
What we know:
During a follow-up investigation, it was learned that the people in the vehicle were contemplating getting into a shootout with law enforcement during the chase.
No firearm was located in the vehicle or on any of the people. However, a Fond du Lac police K9 searched a swampy area the vehicle drove through.
The K9 found a backpack containing drug paraphernalia and a loaded handgun that was thrown from the vehicle just prior to the end of the chase.
Charges for the driver
What we know:
The Fond du Lac County Sheriff's Office will be referring the following charges to the Fond du Lac County District Attorney’s Office for the driver:
- Felony Fleeing/Eluding a Law Enforcement Officer
- First Degree Recklessly Endangering Safety
- Felon in Possession of a Firearm
- Possession of Narcotics
- Felony Bail Jumping
At the time of this incident, the suspect was on active parole for multiple felony convictions, including:
- Three counts of Felony Fleeing/Eluding
- First Degree Recklessly Endangering Safety - Conduct Regardless of Life
- Taking and Driving a Vehicle Without Owner’s Consent
- Two counts of Resisting/Obstructing an Officer
- Two counts of Possession of a Narcotic Drug
Charges for the passengers
What we know:
The Sheriff’s Office will be requesting the following charges for the 27-year-old male passenger:
- Felon in Possession of a Firearm
- Possession of Methamphetamine
- Possession of Narcotic Drugs
- Threats to Law Enforcement
The Sheriff’s Office will be requesting the following charges for the 31-year-old female passenger:
- Felony Bail jumping (2 counts)
- Possession of Narcotic Drugs
- Possession of Drug Paraphernalia
The female was previously arrested and free on bond for prior drug convictions.
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Chase aftermath
What we know:
The pursuit lasted about 17.9 miles.
Four sheriff squad vehicles were damaged during the pursuit, and one deputy was treated and released from the hospital for injuries sustained during a collision with the suspect vehicle.
The Source: All the information in this post was provided by the Fond du Lac County Sheriff's Office.