May 12, 2026 – Fond du Lac Co., WI – The Fond du Lac County Sheriff has released video from May 8, 2026 following a high-speed pursuit involving the driver of a vehicle wanted for a felony. The driver had already evaded law enforcement during two separate chases in recent weeks.
In all three pursuits, the driver operated with extreme recklessness, repeatedly endangering the public and other motorists. This chase ended after the suspect drove into a farm field, intentionally struck a sergeant’s squad car, and attempted to flee back onto the roadway.
The Fond du Lac County Sheriff, who had arrived as first backup to the initial traffic stop, was in position to take decisive action and end this dangerous pursuit by disabling the suspect’s vehicle.
On Friday, May 8, 2026, at approximately 1:08 p.m. the Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Office received an alert of a stolen vehicle out of Illinois traveling northbound on Interstate 41 from County Road Y. Further information was gathered that the vehicle was involved in two different pursuits in the past week in Illinois, but eluded officers each time.
A short time later a deputy with the Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Office located the vehicle on Interstate 41 near Winnebago Street, Town of Friendship, Fond du Lac County. The deputy continued to follow the suspect vehicle northbound waiting for additional deputies to get into position to attempt a high-risk traffic stop.
Once the additional deputies were in position, a high-risk traffic stop was conducted. The vehicle initially pulled over and stopped, but a short time after deputies exited their squad cars and started giving verbal commands to the occupants, the suspect vehicle fled northbound on Interstate 41.
A pursuit ensued northbound on Interstate 41 into Winnebago County. The suspect vehicle failed to obey the deputies’ emergency lights and sirens. The suspect vehicle increased its speed in attempt to evade apprehension.
As the pursuit continued into Winnebago County the suspect vehicle continued to exhibit reckless behavior by passing other vehicles on the interstate, including passing on the shoulder, weaving between vehicles, and all at a high rate of speed. The suspect vehicle exited Interstate 41 and failed to stop at three intersection red lights.
The pursuit continued southbound on STH 26. The suspect vehicle continued to pass vehicles at a high rate of speed on a two-lane highway. The suspect vehicle left the roadway and drove through the yard at a private residence before circling around in the yard, traveling through the ditch, and reentering the highway back northbound on STH 26. The pursuit continued until the suspect vehicle entered a field near County Road Z and Clay Rd in Winnebago County.
As a Sergeant with the Sheriff’s Office was moving in to perform a Pursuit Intervention Technique (PIT Maneuver), contact was made with the suspect vehicle as the suspect had placed his vehicle in reverse and rammed into the front of the squad. The suspect vehicle then attempted to leave the field by traveling through a ditch and back up onto Clay Road where another Sheriff’s Office squad ended the pursuit by intentionally striking the suspect, pushing the vehicle off the road and back into the ditch.
The suspect vehicle rolled over in the ditch, came to rest upright, and was ultimately disabled effectively ending the pursuit. Two occupants exited the vehicle and were taken into custody. The suspect vehicle started on fire and required a fire department respond to extinguish the fire. Both occupants were evaluated by medical personnel on scene.
The driver of the vehicle was identified as a 23-year-old male from Des Plaines, Illinois. The driver was taken to the Fond du Lac County Jail on charges of Fleeing/Eluding Officer, two counts of 1st Degree Reckless Endangering Safety, Resisting/Obstructing Officer, and Delivering Illegal Articles by Inmate (Ecstasy pills). The driver’s criminal history through Illinois was flagged as armed and dangerous with previous weapons offenses, dangerous drug offenses, and criminal damage to property.
The passenger of the vehicle was identified as a 23-year-old female from Franklin Park, Illinois. The female was taken to the Fond du Lac County Jail on the charges of Fleeing/Eluding-Party to a Crime, 1st Degree Reckless Endangering Safety-Party to a Crime. Possession of THC, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and Resisting and Obstructing an Officer.
The Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office, Southern Winnebago EMS, and Nekimi Fire Department.
Sergeant Brandon Henning
