A routine traffic stop in West Allis on Friday night escalated quickly into a short police chase that ended inside the American Family Field parking lot. West Allis officers arrested two men after using a PIT maneuver to stop the vehicle, as per FOX6 News Milwaukee.
According to the West Allis Police Department, the stop began at about 9:20 p.m. near 60th and Greenfield when an officer checked registration that did not match the vehicle. The car initially pulled into a nearby parking lot but then sped out onto W. Greenfield Avenue, and officers followed it into the stadium lots, where a West Allis squad performed a PIT maneuver to bring the pursuit to an end, as reported by FOX6 News Milwaukee.
American Family Field, the Brewers' ballpark at 1 Brewers Way, is a busy event site, and the chase stopped inside one of its parking lots, according to ballpark information. Milwaukee Brewers lists the stadium address and parking details.
Both occupants were taken into custody without further incident and were medically cleared after complaining of injury. The driver, a 35-year-old Milwaukee man, was arrested for fleeing an officer, felon in possession of a firearm, second-degree recklessly endangering safety, possession of marijuana with intent to deliver and a probation violation, while the passenger, a 34-year-old West Allis man, was arrested on counts of felon in possession of a firearm and possession with intent to deliver. Both were transported to the Milwaukee County Jail, and the district attorney will determine formal charges, FOX6 News Milwaukee found.
Chases, Safety And Policy In Milwaukee Suburbs
Vehicle pursuits have been a point of debate in the Milwaukee area, and the Milwaukee Police Department’s Standard Operating Procedure 660 sets the conditions under which officers may engage in a chase. The policy was revised to narrow when drug-related activity alone justifies a pursuit and to require officers to weigh public-safety risks before continuing, as explained by WUWM.
West Allis itself has seen several pursuit-related incidents in recent months, including a February episode in which a teenager leapt from a moving vehicle before officers made arrests. That pattern has helped fuel local conversations about when and how suburban departments use PIT maneuvers and other containment tactics.
Legal Outlook
If prosecutors file charges, a felon-in-possession allegation is prosecuted under Wis. Stat. §941.29 and possession with intent to deliver is charged under Wis. Stat. §961.41. Both can carry felony penalties depending on the facts and quantities involved. See Wis. Stat. §941.29 and Wis. Stat. §961.41 for statute details.
Witnesses or anyone with cellphone video are asked to contact the West Allis Police non-emergency line at 414-302-8000; call 911 for an ongoing emergency. The city's utility portal lists that after-hours contact number for municipal emergencies, City of West Allis.
