A rush-hour police chase on Milwaukee’s far north side ended in a violent crash Tuesday evening, leaving two people hurt and a stolen vehicle flipped on its side, according to authorities.
Milwaukee police said the pursuit began shortly after 5 p.m. near North 76th Street and West Good Hope Road and wrapped up a little more than two miles away at 76th and Brown Deer Road, where the fleeing car slammed into another vehicle. A 14-year-old riding in the fleeing car and a 43-year-old in the struck vehicle were injured, and officers took the 17-year-old driver of the fleeing vehicle to a hospital for medical clearance before booking him.
What Happened
Officers first tried to pull over a reckless driver near 76th and Good Hope a little after 5 p.m. Tuesday, police said. Instead of stopping, the driver took off, and officers initiated a short pursuit heading north.
The chase ended at 76th and Brown Deer when the fleeing car crashed into another vehicle, leaving two mangled cars at the intersection. FOX6 News Milwaukee reported that one of the vehicles came to rest on its side at the scene.
The Milwaukee Police Department said a 17-year-old suspect was arrested at the crash site. The 14-year-old passenger from the fleeing vehicle and the 43-year-old driver in the other car were treated for injuries, and investigators plan to refer criminal charges to the Milwaukee County District Attorney's Office.
Car Theft Spike and Police Response
The crash comes as Milwaukee officials grapple with a surge in auto thefts this year. MPD Chief Ed Flynn told TMJ4 that detectives are putting extra focus on stolen-vehicle investigations, even as the department tries to weigh the dangers of high-speed chases against the need to catch offenders.
Local reporting has shown more than 2,100 auto thefts recorded through mid-May, including several cases involving area dealerships, a pattern police say they are determined to disrupt.
Policy Under Review
The latest pursuit also lands in the middle of an ongoing debate over when Milwaukee police should be allowed to chase. A resolution from the city’s Fire and Police Commission has called for changes to MPD’s Standard Operating Procedure 660 that would tighten rules on pursuits prompted by reckless driving after an attempted traffic stop.
According to Milwaukee city records, pursuits have climbed in recent years, and officials are weighing revisions meant to cut down on the number of chases and related injuries.
What’s Next
Police have not yet said where the vehicle in Tuesday’s chase was taken from, and investigators are still gathering evidence. Any formal charges against the 17-year-old suspect will be up to prosecutors after the police reports are forwarded to the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office.
FOX6 News Milwaukee, which visited the crash scene, reported that information about the pursuit came from the Milwaukee Police Department and noted that more details could be released as the district attorney’s office reviews the case.
