A Wisconsin man is currently in custody following a high-speed chase in Nebraska that led to a discovery of a deceased woman in his vehicle, who is believed to be a missing person from Dodgeville. According to WEAU, the pursuit commenced around 1:50 a.m. yesterday, when a state trooper attempted to stop the suspect's car linked to the missing person case. The Dodgeville Police Department had earlier reported 67-year-old Dorinda Segebrecht as missing since Monday.
The suspect, later identified by the Nebraska State Patrol as Gavin Thompson, a 23-year-old from Dodgeville, led authorities on a dangerous chase driving the wrong way on Interstate 80, WISN reported.
Thompson’s reckless driving ended when he crashed his vehicle into a median creek, then attempted to flee the scene on foot. The chase, spanned across a construction zone, also included heavy rainfall which posed an additional risk to law enforcement and public safety, as reported by WEAU.
Upon inspecting the crashed vehicle, troopers discovered the body in the back seat, bearing a resemblance to Segebrecht who last communicated with her family around noon on Monday, according to a welfare check conducted near E. Division Street and S. Dacotah Street in Dodgeville, as detailed by FOX6Now. The Dodgeville Police Department, along with state and local Nebraska law enforcement, continued the search for Thompson. They utilized K-9 units, drones, and a helicopter to locate Thompson who was eventually detained four miles from the crash site.
"At this time, this appears to be a random act of violence, and we do not believe there is an ongoing threat to the public in relation to this case," Wilhelm, Dodgeville Police Chief, said in a statement obtained by WISN. Thompson now faces charges that include flight to avoid arrest, and willful reckless driving, he was booked into the Lancaster County Jail. Authorities have yet to confirm the victim’s identity, and the relationship, if any between Thompson and Segebrecht remains unknown at this time.
