August 28, 2023 – Fond du Lac Co., WI – On Saturday, August 26, 2023, at approximately 7:30 p.m., deputies with the Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Office received information that the Waupaca County Sheriff’s Office had been in pursuit with a vehicle that was stolen from the state of Illinois.
The chase was terminated when it entered Winnebago County on US Highway 10. Believing the vehicle may be traveling again towards Illinois, Fond du Lac County deputies monitored Interstate 41 and ultimately located the stolen vehicle at approximately 9 p.m.
Deputies confirmed that the vehicle was stolen and also learned that it may have been involved in an armed robbery in the Plover area. Deputies attempted to stop the vehicle on Interstate 41 near Lincoln Rd in the Township of Eldorado.
The suspect vehicle disregarded the visual and audible signals to stop and increased its speed and a vehicle pursuit ensued.
As the pursuit continued southbound on Interstate 41, a Fond du Lac County Deputy was able to successfully deploy Stop Sticks on the suspect vehicle however the vehicle continued southbound on Interstate 41 through Dodge County and into Washington County.
Troopers with the Wisconsin State Patrol and Deputies with the Washington County Sheriff’s Office assisted in the pursuit. Ultimately the suspect vehicle lost control on Interstate 41, south of State Highway 33, and crashed into the median cable barrier.
Both occupants were taken into custody without incident. K9 Rip and his partner conducted a free air sniff on the vehicle with a positive alert. Located inside the vehicle deputies discovered thousands of dollars in stolen merchandise along with illegal narcotics.
The driver was identified as a 37-year-old woman from Milwaukee. It was discovered she was out on a $1500.00 signature bond through Waukesha County for Felony Retail Theft – Repeater. She was transported to the Fond du Lac County Jail where she is being held on the following charges:
Operator Flee/Elude an Officer
Second Degree Reckless Endangering Safety
Operate without Owners Consent
Felony Retail Theft
Felony Bail Jumping
She was also issued serval traffic-related citations.
The passenger was identified as a 31-year-old woman from Wauwatosa. She was transported to the Fond du Lac County Jail where she is being held on the following charges:
Operator Flee/Elude an Officer – Party to a Crime
Second-Degree Reckless Endangering Safety – Party to a Crime
Felony Retail Theft
Possession of THC
Possession of Cocaine
Possession of Fentanyl
Possession of Illegally Obtained Prescription
She is currently out on probation through the Wisconsin Department of Corrections for original charges of Operator Flee/Elude an Officer, Resisting/Obstructing an Officer, and Carrying a Concealed Weapon.
The pursuit covered a distance of approximately 34 miles. Two Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Office patrol squads did sustain minor damages during the pursuit. Two civilian vehicles sustained minor damages from running over stop sticks.
The Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Office is continuing its investigation by working with neighboring agencies with regard to retail thefts in their jurisdictions.
