Hartland police chase, highway standoff; 42-year-old woman accused

A Hartland police chase ended in a highway standoff. The driver's tire was stripped down to the rim.  

Waukesha County police chase

What we know:

By the time Hartland police started chasing a driver on Highway 16 last week, the driver's Kia Optima was already falling apart – and a dozen squads were in pursuit. 

While the tires on the car were shredded, the stop sticks being deployed were not slowing down the driver. 

Inside, police say a 42-year-old Hartland woman refused to get out of the vehicle. Officers spent more than a half-hour asking her to get out. As a last resort, officers broke her rear window and shot pepper balls into the car to force her out. Still, the woman did not budge. 

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The fumes from the pepper balls were so intense, it affected some of the officers on the scene. 

With shields and guns raised, police finally pulled the woman out of the car. Inside the vehicle, investigators found a knife covered in blood. 

Police closed both directions of Highway 16 until the woman was taken away by ambulance – almost an hour after the car finally stopped. 

In custody

What's next:

The driver has not been charged yet, which is why FOX6 News is not naming her. However, court records indicate the woman has three open criminal cases in Waukesha County since 2023. In one, prosecutors charged her with battery to a law enforcement officer.

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Just before Christmas, court records indicate the driver was arrested after being combative with Hartland police. Investigators say she was upset when a Sendik's employee refused to sell her alcohol – because she appeared drunk. 

The Source: The information in this post was produced by FOX6 News.

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