Ripon Man Facing Charges for Chase

Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s deputies and the State Patrol were involved in the pursuit of a 49-year-old Ripon man on Interstate 41 late Saturday morning.

According to a Sheriff’s Office press release the catalyst for the five-mile chase was reckless driving in the village of Rosendale. A caller reported the suspect’s vehicle speeding east on State Highway 23 and running a red light at State Highway 23 and State Highway 26.

The suspect was spotted approaching the city of Fond du Lac on State Highway 23 but merged onto I-41 northbound and the pursuit was on. The suspect was able to avoid several maneuvers to try and stop him, but eventually a Sheriff’s deputy used his patrol vehicle to push the suspect’s car into a ditch and pin it against a snow fence.

The Ripon man was taken to St. Agnes Hospital for medical evaluation and then booked into the Fond du Lac County Jail. He’s facing charges of fleeing an officer, first-degree recklessly endangering safety, hit and run, and suspicion of operating while under the influence.

No one was injured during the chase, but a Sheriff’s squad car was damaged.