27-year-old Menasha man taken into custody after wild pursuit that went through Fond du Lac County Airport runway

On Monday, May 19, 2025, at approximately 7:56 a.m., a deputy with the Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Office observed a vehicle traveling on Interstate 41 that had previously been involved in a vehicle pursuit initiated in the Town of Grand Chute. The deputy also noted an equipment violation and attempted a traffic stop after the vehicle exited Interstate 41 and entered Highway 151. Upon activation of the squad’s emergency lights, the suspect vehicle immediately accelerated and fled southbound on Highway 151, prompting a pursuit.

The suspect vehicle continued southbound before turning northbound onto Schaefer Road in the Township of Lamartine. It then traveled westbound on Orchard Road, where additional deputies joined the effort to safely stop the vehicle due to the ongoing dangerous driving behavior. The suspect continued northbound onto Palmer Road and then eastbound on County Highway T.

During the pursuit, the Fond du Lac County Communications Center received an emergency 911 call from a female passenger in the suspect vehicle. The caller could be heard screaming for help and pleading to be let out of the vehicle. A tire deflation device was deployed at the intersection of County T and County Y but was unsuccessful in stopping the suspect vehicle.

The vehicle then turned southbound onto County Y, briefly left the roadway into a ditch, came back on the road striking a sheriff’s squad, but quickly regained control and continued eastbound on County T and Rogersville Road, heading toward the Fond du Lac County Airport. Due to concerns the vehicle would enter active airport property, notification was made to temporarily halt all incoming and outgoing air traffic.

The suspect vehicle did enter the airport property and proceeded onto a northbound taxiway. A deputy attempted a Pursuit Intervention Technique (PIT) maneuver, which was unsuccessful. The vehicle exited the airport property by driving through a field and continued to Johnson Street, where it attempted to re-enter Interstate 41. As the vehicle took the on-ramp to I-41 at Johnson Street, another PIT maneuver was successfully executed, causing the vehicle to enter the gore area of the interstate. Squad cars then positioned to box in the suspect vehicle, bringing the pursuit to a safe conclusion.

Two passengers were taken into custody without incident. After a brief dialogue, the driver—a 27-year-old male from Menasha—was also taken into custody without further resistance.

During follow up investigation it was learned that occupants of the vehicle were contemplating getting in a shootout with law enforcement during the chase. No firearm was located in the vehicle or on any of the occupants, however a Fond du Lac Police K9 was deployed to conduct

an article search in the swampy area the vehicle drove through near that offramp. The K9 located a backpack containing drug paraphernalia and a loaded handgun that was thrown from the vehicle just prior to the end of the chase.

The Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Office will be referring the following charges to the District Attorney’s Office for the driver:

· Felony Fleeing/Eluding a Law Enforcement Officer

· First Degree Recklessly Endangering Safety

· Felon in Possession of a Firearm

· Possession of Narcotics

· Felony Bail Jumping

At the time of this incident, the suspect was on active parole for multiple felony convictions, including:

· Three counts of Felony Fleeing/Eluding

· First Degree Recklessly Endangering Safety – Conduct Regardless of Life

· Taking and Driving a Vehicle Without Owner’s Consent

· Two counts of Resisting/Obstructing an Officer

· Two counts of Possession of a Narcotic Drug

The Sheriff’s Office will be requesting the following charges for the 27-year-old male passenger:

· Felon in Possession of a Firearm

· Possession of Methamphetamine

· Possession of Narcotic Drugs

· Threats to Law Enforcement

The Sheriff’s Office will be requesting the following charges for the 31-year-old female passenger:

· Felony Bail jumping (2 counts)

· Possession of Narcotic Drugs

· Possession of Drug Paraphernalia

The female was previously arrested and free on bond for prior drug convictions.

The pursuit covered a distance of approximately 17.9 miles. Four sheriff’s squads sustained damage during the pursuit, and one deputy was treated and released from the hospital for injuries sustained during a collision with the suspect vehicle. The Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the City of Fond du Lac Police Department and the Wisconsin State Patrol. We extend our appreciation to our law enforcement partners and emergency communications personnel for their swift and coordinated response.