Racine County Sheriff's K9 officer helps to quickly apprehend high-speed pursuit suspect

Racine County Sheriff's K9 officer helps to quickly apprehend high-speed pursuit suspect

RACINE COUNTY (WITI) -- Racine County Sheriff's officials say a high-speed pursuit suspect was able to be taken into custody with the help of a Racine County Sheriff's K9 officer.Sheriff's officials say on June 3rd -- just before 3:45 p.m., the Racine County Communications Center was advised that the Muskego Police Department was involved in a pursuit of a green Saturn which had fled from a traffic stop in Muskego.Muskego police advised they had lost sight of the fleeing vehicle -- and stated the operator had multiple warrants for his arrest and was possibly intoxicated.Just before 4:00 p.m., a Racine County Sheriff's deputy and K9 officer Friday located the vehicle.When the Sheriff's deputy caught up to the suspect vehicle -- the suspect increased his vehicle speed in attempt to get away from the deputy.The deputy attempted to pull the suspect over, and the suspect continued to increase his vehicle speed and refused to stop his vehicle.Sheriff's officials say after a short vehicle pursuit, the suspect stopped his vehicle and fled on food in the Town of Yorkville -- into a cornfield.The Sheriff's deputy and K9 officer Friday chased the suspect on foot.With Friday's assistance, the suspect was quickly taken into custody.The suspect is a 39-year-old man from the Village of Union Grove.He is being held at the Racine County Jail on charges including fleeing and eluding, resisting and obstructing, operating after revocation, bail jumping, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.“Once again, our K9 program has proven to be a valuable tool to this community as Deputy Drewitz and K9 Friday quickly put a stop to a very dangerous and fleeing criminal," Racine County Sheriff Christopher Schmaling said.

Accident: Man dies in car crash, vehicle severed into two parts

Accident: Man dies in car crash, vehicle severed into two parts

RACINE (WITI) --  The Racine County Sheriff's Office confirms that a man has died after crashing his car on Friday, June 27th.Officials say that the vehicle was traveling northbound on South Loomis Road in the town of Norway, crossed the center line, and left the road striking a tree.The operator, a 30-year-old male from the Town of Waterford, was ejected from the vehicle and pronounced deceased at the scene.

Street value of $48,0000: A dozen pounds of high-grade marijuana seized in Racine

Street value of $48,0000: A dozen pounds of high-grade marijuana seized in Racine

RACINE (WITI) -- Racine County Sheriff's officials on Wednesday, June 25th seized 12 pounds of high-grade marijuana with a street value of $48,000 -- and arrested a 31-year-old man.Around 3:10 p.m. Wednesday, Agents of the Racine County Metro Drug Unit, working in cooperation with the United States Postal Inspectors executed a search warrant at a home in the 1200 block of Orchard Street in Racine.Along with the marijuana, officials were able to seize an assault-style rifle, a 9mm semi-automatic handgun and ammunition.

Suspect in custody: High-speed chase ends in Oak Creek

Suspect in custody: High-speed chase ends in Oak Creek

RACINE/OAK CREEK (WITI) -- Racine County Sheriff's officials say a man is in custody after fleeing from deputies following a traffic stop on Sunday afternoon, June 8th.It all started with a traffic stop on I-94 in Racine County just after noon on Sunday.Racine County Sheriff's deputies say when a drug-sniffing dog showed up, the driver got spooked -- and took off.The chase involved speeds of 90+ miles-per-hour and occurred on I-94 from Racine up into Milwaukee County.Deputies say the man took the Drexel Avenue exit and then hopped the median -- crashing into a ditch."Jumped out of a vehicle and a foot chase started.

Water patrol rescues two people, boat takes one water

Water patrol rescues two people, boat takes one water

RACINE (AP) — Rescuers have brought a stranded father and son safely back to shore after their fishing boat filled with water on Lake Michigan off Racine.The Racine County Sheriff's Office says its water patrol responded to a distress call around 8:30 a.m. Saturday, about four miles off shore.

Homes evacuated: Driver slams into natural gas line near We Energies facility

Homes evacuated: Driver slams into natural gas line near We Energies facility

RACINE (WITI) -- Racine County Sheriff's officials say speed and alcohol are believed to be factors in a crash in which a 21-year-old driver went through a fence, and slammed into a natural gas line.It happened on Monday, May 26th just after 8:00 p.m. at the intersection of State Highway 20 and Honey Creek Road in the Town of Waterford.Sheriff's officials say a single vehicle, driven by a 21-year-old woman went through a fence surrounding a We Energies main line gas junction station -- and slammed into a natural gas line -- breaking it open, and venting natural gas into the air.The driver was apparently trapped in the vehicle.The first deputy on scene determined that the gas line struck was a high pressure gas line -- and the area needed to be evacuated.That same deputy was able to pull the driver out of the vehicle and carry her to safety.She was the only person in the vehicle -- and is said to have sustained head injuries.

Off-road accident: Woman killed in motorcycle crash

Off-road accident: Woman killed in motorcycle crash

RACINE (WITI) --Racine County Sheriff's Deputies are investigating a fatal motorcycle crash that occurred Sunday, May 11th in the Village of Caledonia.According to officials, the accident involved a single, off-road-style motorcycle.At the time of the crash, the motorcycle was being operated in an off-road environment.The operator, a 21-year-old female, was wearing a helmet at the time of the crash.

BUSTED: Task force aimed at taking pedophiles off the street makes arrest

BUSTED: Task force aimed at taking pedophiles off the street makes arrest

RACINE (WITI) -- A Racine man is busted for child porn -- and he's just the latest in a string of arrests involving the internet and children in Racine County.Goold Street in Racine is lined with manicured lawns and quaint homes, but there is one home in particular that stands out to neighbors."It`s a very unsettling feeling and it makes me really nervous now," one neighbor told FOX6 News.Authorities say a man who lives in a home on Goold Street -- identified as 35-year-old Jacob Bierer illegally downloaded child pornography "for years."According to a criminal complaint against him, Bierer told investigators he would get drunk, download child porn and then delete it.Neighbors say what's alarming to them is the fact that Bierer lives just steps away from an elementary school."Especially having a younger child, it makes me concerned," a neighbor said."These particular cases are very disturbing," Racine County Sheriff Christopher Schmaling said.In recent months, the Racine County Sheriff's Office has created a special task force with the intent of catching people using the internet as a weapon against kids."We have pedophiles out there who are looking at preying on our children and these are the individuals who we are literally targeting and arresting," Schmaling said.They are arrests neighbors are glad to see."You always think that it can`t happen in my neighborhood or that happens in other people`s neighborhoods, or it happens on TV, but apparently, we can`t take that approach anymore," a neighbor said.Bierer is being held in the Racine County Jail.If he is convicted, he faces 25 years in prison.

Man arrested for attempted sexual activity with minor

Man arrested for attempted sexual activity with minor

RACINE (WITI) -- On Friday evening, April 18th Racine County Sheriff's Investigators arrested a 51-year-old man for attempting to engage in sexual activity with a minor.Racine County Sheriff’s Investigators conducted an undercover operation that involved 51-year-old Mark Lentz, a Dane County resident who was engaging in sexually explicit conversations with a subject he believed was a 15-year-old male."I'm very proud of the commitment and hard work my investigative team brings to these very intense and challenging cases.

Review of OWI incident involving Racine Co. D.A. complete

Review of OWI incident involving Racine Co. D.A. complete

RACINE (WITI) -- Racine County Sheriff's officials say an external administrative review has been completed in the weekend incident involving Racine County District Attorney Rich Chiapete -- and the actions of law enforcement personnel were appropriate.Chiapete was cited for OWI and hit-and-run on Friday night, April 4th.

Racine Co. Sheriff's officials say family dispute led to high-speed chase

Racine Co. Sheriff's officials say family dispute led to high-speed chase

RACINE COUNTY (WITI) -- Racine County Sheriff's officials say a domestic dispute led to a high-speed chase on Monday afternoon, April 7th.Deputies were dispatched to a report of family trouble in the Village of Rochester just after 3:30 p.m.Upon arriving at the scene, deputies observed a vehicle leaving the residence at a high rate of speed -- and a man running after the vehicle.Sheriff's officials say the man running after the vehicle told officials his son stole it.Deputies located the vehicle on County Highway D and a traffic stop was initiated on County Highway DD.The deputy approached the suspect vehicle -- and that's when Sheriff's officials say the vehicle took off at a high rate of speed.A pursuit ensued -- reaching speeds up to 100 miles-per-hour.The pursuit was terminated, and the vehicle was located back at the original residence a few moments later.Once back at the residence, officials say the driver of the pursued vehicle fled into a wooded area to the west of the residence and was taken into custody without incident after a short foot pursuit.He was transported to the Racine County Jail where he is being held on Domestic Abuse Disorderly Conduct, Fleeing and Eluding an Officer, Obstructing an Officer, Resisting Arrest and numerous traffic citations.