In a dramatic sequence reminiscent of an action thriller, a suspect on Wisconsin’s most-wanted list ignited a high-speed chase spanning 12 miles, culminating in his dive from the vehicle into a sprawling cornfield. This escapade led to an exhaustive five-hour manhunt, culminating in his capture with the assistance of a K9 unit and drone surveillance.
The harrowing chase erupted in the early afternoon of August 17, according to the Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Office. The event clocked its start at 2:26 p.m. when the 40-year-old suspect bolted from the hold of the City of Fond du Lac Police Department.
An observant deputy caught sight of the rogue vehicle speeding south on Highway 175, near the intersection with Highway 151. With lights flashing and sirens blaring, the deputy attempted to intercept the fleeing driver. Yet, the suspect only hit the gas harder, triggering a breathtaking pursuit.
Dashcam footage immortalized the hair-raising chase as it weaved through multiple county roads. The pursuit reached a pivotal moment when another deputy expertly deployed a tire-deflation device, which effectively disabled the suspect’s vehicle, authorities reported.
The Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Office later shared the compelling video showing the chase, the extensive cornfield search, and the eventual apprehension of the wanted individual on that fateful August day. (Courtesy of the Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Office)
In the released dash camera video, the suspect is seen jumping out of the vehicle and making a beeline toward a subdivision. A Fond du Lac police officer is seen pursuing him on foot before the suspect was seen entering a nearby cornfield.
Authorities said that the suspect entered a cornfield, where officers quickly lost sight of him due to the dense vegetation, authorities said.
Officers ended the foot pursuit because of safety concerns and established a perimeter around County Highway V, Reinhardt Road, County Highway K and Valley Creek Road.
A wanted Wisconsin man fled deputies at high speed, abandoned his rolling car in the middle of a highway and disappeared into a cornfield, triggering an hours long manhunt. (The Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Office)
Drones operated by the Fond du Lac Police Department and Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Office were deployed but initially could not locate the man because of the thick foliage. Multiple K-9 teams also searched the area.
At about 6:30 p.m., sheriff’s office personnel spotted the man attempting to leave the cornfield near Reinhardt Road, authorities said. He ran back into the field when officers approached.
Authorities made multiple announcements over a loudspeaker but received no response, according to the sheriff’s office.
A K-9 was then deployed near the man’s last known location, while a drone operator located him from above and directed an arrest team toward him.
The man continued running from officers and the K-9, authorities said. After an approximately 300-yard track through the cornfield, he was driven out of the field toward officers waiting near Paradise Lane.
A 12-mile police chase ended with a wanted Wisconsin man jumping from a moving car and fleeing into a cornfield, where he evaded officers for more than five hours. (The Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Office)
He was taken into custody without incident at about 7:45 p.m. and turned over to Fond du Lac police. The vehicle pursuit covered about 12.6 miles, and the entire incident lasted more than five hours.
The 40-year-old Fond du Lac man was taken to a local hospital for medical clearance before being booked into the Fond du Lac County Jail on multiple counts of fleeing and eluding, second-degree recklessly endangering safety and felony bail jumping, according to the sheriff’s office.
Authorities said the man was on probation for cocaine possession and possession of a firearm by a felon and had an active Wisconsin Department of Corrections warrant for an alleged probation violation.
He also has two pending felony cases in Fond du Lac County, according to the sheriff’s office. One includes charges of possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, possession of a firearm by a felon, maintaining a drug trafficking place, carrying a concealed weapon and possession of drug paraphernalia. The second includes charges of felony bail jumping and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Two Fond du Lac County patrol vehicles were damaged during the pursuit. A sheriff’s deputy and a Fond du Lac police officer suffered minor injuries. Authorities said no private property was damaged. News Media has reached out to the Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Office for additional details.