Milwaukee police chase of stolen SUV; speeds reached 105 mph
Juan Williams Jr.
MILWAUKEE - A 39-year-old Milwaukee man is accused of stealing an SUV and then leading officers on a high-speed, miles-long police chase. The accused is Juan Williams Jr. – and he faces the following criminal counts:
- Second-degree recklessly endangering safety
- Operating a motor vehicle to flee or in an attempt to elude an officer
- Obstructing an officer
Each of the charges comes with a "habitual criminality repeater" enhancer.
According to the criminal complaint, Milwaukee police officers were on patrol late on Monday, Dec. 16 when they spotted a white SUV with no license plate parked at a gas pump near 13th and North in Milwaukee. There were several people standing around the vehicle.
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The complaint says when the driver of the SUV, identified as the defendant, spotted the officers' squad, "the defendant accelerated out of the parking lot at about 50 mph in a 25 mph zone." Officers activated their emergency lights and siren -- and a police chase was underway.
Court filings say the defendant did not stop and accelerated away. He took officers on an 8.4 mile police chase and reached an estimated top speed of 105 mph, the complaint notes. "The defendant blew 9 red lights, ignored 19 stop signs as well as drove the wrong way on a one-way street. While running one of the red lights, the defendant narrowly missed getting into a T-bone collision with another vehicle," the complaint says.
The police chase ended when the defendant "bailed from the driver's side of the (SUV) without putting it in park," the complaint says. The SUV rolled onto the sidewalk and hit the rail of some steps leading to a home.
The defendant was arrested after a foot chase. Officers found the keys to the SUV in the defendant's pocket.
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A check on the SUV found it was reported stolen about three hours prior to the police chase. The complaint says the SUV had been parked at a food mart. It was unlocked with the keys inside.
Williams made his initial appearance in Milwaukee County court on Thursday, Dec. 19. Cash bond was set at $7,500.