Oak Creek police issued a media release.
According to a statement from the Oak Creek Police Department, officers were conducting an investigation in that area around 7 p.m. Thursday when they attempted to initiate a traffic stop on a vehicle sitting in a business parking lot. Police said the driver refused to stop, struck a police squad and then attempted to strike an officer while speeding out of the lot.
Tire Spikes Stop the Vehicle, But Not the Suspect
Officers deployed a tire deflation device during the pursuit, and the disabled vehicle turned up a few blocks away in the 6100 block of S. 13th Street, the department said.
The suspect was not located. The department said there is no information at this time indicating an ongoing threat to the public.
A Pattern of Fleeing Drivers in Oak Creek
This isn't the first time an Oak Creek traffic encounter has ended with an officer struck and a suspect disappearing. In April, an officer was injured in a separate confrontation after a driver fled in a vehicle, according to Officer.com. That officer suffered injuries to his leg and foot that required medical attention after the driver reversed, striking a woman and pinning the officer between the open vehicle door and his squad car. The man who fled in that case was later arrested, and charges were pending, as reported by TMJ4.
In a separate incident described by WISN, officers tried to stop a vehicle at about 12:19 p.m. that instead fled and crashed in the 400 block of West Puetz Road. All five occupants ran from that crash scene, and while officers took four people into custody, one man named Yazen Salem had not been found when WISN's report published. There's no indication in the current release that Thursday's incident is connected to either of those earlier cases.
What Comes Next for the Investigation
Oak Creek police described Thursday's case as an active investigation and said no additional information was available for release at this time. The release was authorized by Sergeant Daniel Gitzlaff, and the department thanked the Milwaukee Police Department for its assistance as well as the community for its patience throughout the incident.
Anyone with information about the incident, including surveillance footage that could help investigators, is asked to contact the Oak Creek Police Department at 414-762-8200. Tips can also be submitted anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 414-766-7699.
