A routine speed check on County Highway B turned into a reverse-gear collision and a chase through the dark early Sunday, after a Manitowoc County sheriff's deputy says a 27-year-old Town of Two Rivers man rammed a patrol vehicle and sped off rather than face an OWI investigation. Deputies caught up with him about 2.1 miles later, pulling into a driveway in the 6500 block of County Highway Q.
Speeding SUV Draws Attention Near State 310
According to the Herald Times Reporter, a deputy clocked the SUV traveling about 64 mph in a posted 50 mph zone near County Highway B and State 310 at roughly 2:54 a.m. on Sunday. The deputy pulled the vehicle over and began an OWI investigation after noticing signs of possible impairment, the outlet reported. A second deputy soon arrived to assist at the stop, but the driver would not follow instructions to get out of the vehicle.
Instead, the report states, the driver shifted the SUV into reverse and accelerated, striking the squad car. Two deputies were standing near the vehicle at the time, which the sheriff's office said placed them at risk of serious injury as the driver kept accelerating, causing the SUV's tires to spin and squeal.
Chase Ends in a Driveway on County Highway Q
WISN similarly reported that deputies had stopped the SUV after spotting it going 64 mph in the 50 mph zone and that the driver appeared impaired and refused to exit before striking the squad car. After the collision, the driver accelerated forward, backed onto County Highway B, and fled northbound, according to the Herald Times Reporter. Deputies pursued for about 2.1 miles before he pulled into a driveway in the 6500 block of County Highway Q, where he was taken into custody at about 3:05 a.m.
WBAY described the pursuit as a two-mile chase in its own account of the arrest. The man was arrested on suspicion of first-offense operating while intoxicated, knowingly fleeing an officer, recklessly endangering safety, and resisting or obstructing an officer, per the sheriff's office.
Sheriff's Office Releases Video to Show the Danger
The Manitowoc County Sheriff's Office shared the incident details along with two video clips showing the SUV strike the squad car, saying it wanted to give the public a clearer understanding of what happened and the dangers deputies faced. Fox 969 also reported that the deputy had spotted the SUV going 64 mph in the 50 mph zone before conducting the stop. The sheriff's office said that striking a squad car and fleeing puts deputies, other motorists, and the public at serious risk.
