Vehicle that fled traffic stop bursts into flames after crashing into a tree

A Winnebago County Sheriff’s Deputy stopped a vehicle overnight, Saturday, January 18, 2025, on Highway 76, north of Oshkosh, but the driver took off at a high speed from the stop.

Winnebago County has a no pursuit policy so the officer didn’t chase after the vehicle, but instead drove in the direction the vehicle fled, to make sure the driver didn’t crash. However that’s exactly what did happen.

Minutes after the vehicle fled north on 76, the officer found the vehicle in flames, crashed into a tree on County Highway G.

The officer and other responding units used fire extinguishers to try and put out the flames but the fire was too big. Officers on scene said the driver was trapped in the wreckage.

Before rescue and the fire department got on scene, officers were able to pull two people out of the burning vehicle. Their conditions were not known, but two ambulance, and Theda Star medical helicopter was called to the scene.

KFIZ will update this story when and if more information is released from the sheriff’s office.