Milwaukee County deputy dragged; driver that fled now in custody

MILWAUKEE - The 21-year-old driver of an SUV that dragged a Milwaukee County sheriff's deputy causing injury has been taken into custody, officials said on Thursday, June 8. The driver was taken into custody on June 7 – and several felony charges will be reviewed by the Milwaukee County District Attorney's Office.

The sheriff's deputy was dragged during a traffic stop of a stolen vehicle on Friday, June 2. 

"I’ll always remember the terror on her face as that was happening," said Inspector Doug Holton, Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office. "The driver put the car in reverse and began to back up."

A 19-year-old male passenger who had been in the SUV managed to exit the vehicle before the suspect fled. The passenger surrendered without incident and was taken into custody. Deputies recovered a handgun from that passenger in the process of arresting him.  

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As the driver in the SUV fled the scene, he crashed the silver SUV into a pickup truck nearby – and then took off.   

Milwaukee County sheriff's deputy dragged during traffic stop

Sheriff's officials say the initial traffic stop was prompted after Flock License Plate Recognition (LPR) cameras alerted deputies around 11 a.m. that Friday to the stolen vehicle in the Northpoint parking lot near the Milwaukee lakefront.

Milwaukee County sheriff's deputy dragged during traffic stop

Around 12:30 p.m. that Friday, officials say the fleeing vehicle was later located by University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee police. It was abandoned in an alley near Providence and Cambridge. But investigators were able to use evidence found inside the vehicle to identify the suspect. Again, he was taken into custody at a Milwaukee address on the morning of Wednesday, June 7 – with the help of the Milwaukee Police Department and U.S. Marshals office. 

This incident comes after several incidents along the lakefront.

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Deputies had to call for backup a week ago when nearly 200 people shut down Lincoln Memorial Drive near Northpoint. The next day, law enforcement forced everyone out of the Bradford Beach area when it closed. 

"A lot of these groups are getting on social media and coming up with times and locations to meet up," Holton said. 

Inspector Doug Holton, Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office

Holton said in the last 30 days, there have been 17 recovered firearms from the lakefront. he is warning parents – know where your kids are.

"We are often seeing young teenagers hanging out with individuals who are armed, who have open warrants in cases and are in stolen vehicles," Holton said.

Officials say the sheriff's deputy is doing well – and is back on the job.