CLINTONVILLE, WI (WTAQ) – The Marathon County Sheriff’s Department has released dash camera video that captured a dangerous chase of a stolen vehicle through three counties this week.
58-year-old Randall Wilson was arrested and charged with three felonies.
Authorities say Wilson led them on a chase through Waupaca, Shawano and Marathon counties, ending in Rib Mountain. In the end, the chase covered 50 miles and damaged 4 squad cars.
Newly released police dash camera video captured a dangerous, three-county chase through Northeast Wisconsin, all in pursuit of a stolen vehicle.
The owner of the stolen vehicle, Joe Steinke of Clintonville, told FOX 11 he still can’t believe what happened.
“9:30 in the morning, while I’m drinking my coffee, there goes my vehicle,” said Steinke, who was sitting in his office when he noticed someone checking out a vehicle on his car lot that wasn’t for sale. That vehicle was his wife’s 2008 GMC Denali, which still had the keys in it.
“I just walked toward the door and next thing you know he took off with it,” Steinke said. He began to chase the stolen SUV until police took over.
“He refused to stop,” said Captain Jim Beggs of the Clintonville Police Department. “Our vehicle came off from the south, supported the Marion vehicle. They headed out to Highway 45 and then north on Highway 45 into Shawano County, where Shawano attempted to assist us.”
Authorities tried stop sticks, but the vehicle made its way to Highway 29 and eventually into Marathon County.
“It was a necessity to get him stopped because when he showed intent to place others at extreme risk, we weren’t sure exactly what his intent was,” said Lt. Mark Wagers of the Marathon County Sheriff’s Department.
Eventually, deputies were able to take Wilson into custody after they say the SUV was too damaged to drive.
Investigators say Wilson told them he heard voices on the radio that told him to keep going.
He is being held on a $50,000 cash bond. Wilson appeared in Marathon County court Wednesday. A competency hearing has been scheduled for next month.
Clintonville Police say they had seven complaints about Wilson since March 7th. They were mostly from businesses that he was causing a disruption. However, police say none of the incidents were anything Wilson should have been arrested for.
(Additional reporting from FOX 11)
