24 mile long, Fond du Lac County pursuit nets 5 in custody with loaded gun, alcohol and drugs

On January 18, 2026, a Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Office deputy conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle displaying license plates that returned as “no vehicle associated,” indicating the plates did not belong to the vehicle. The traffic stop occurred on Rolling Meadows Drive just south of Winnebago Street in the Township of Lamartine.

As the deputy approached the vehicle, it fled southbound on Rolling Meadows Drive at a high rate of speed, and a pursuit was initiated. The vehicle then traveled westbound on Highway 23. The pursuit lasted approximately 23 minutes and covered roughly 24 miles west of the City of Fond du Lac. Most of the pursuit occurred in the area south of Highway 23, east of Highway 26, and north of County Highway T.

During the pursuit, the driver made multiple U-turns in attempts to avoid spike strips and at times drove head-on toward deputies, in an effort to, evade capture.

The pursuit ended when the vehicle attempted to hide near a farmstead on Forest Avenue Road. The vehicle entered a ditch and came to rest near a pole shed. All five occupants exited the vehicle and were taken into custody without incident by deputies who arrived on scene.

A search of the vehicle resulted in the discovery of suspected marijuana and alcohol. Deputies also followed fresh footprints in the snow from the vehicle to a black bag hidden beneath a building. A loaded handgun was located inside the bag.

The suspect vehicle sustained minor damage from entering the ditch. No squad cars or other vehicles were damaged during the pursuit.

The driver, a 20-year-old male from Black Creek, Wisconsin, was charged with multiple counts of recklessly endangering safety, felony fleeing and eluding, carrying a concealed weapon, possession of drug paraphernalia, and multiple traffic violations.

The four passengers, all under the age of 21, received citations for underage possession of alcohol. Some passengers also received citations for possession of drug paraphernalia.

The Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Wisconsin State Patrol during the pursuit.