Drugs, gun thrown from car during I-43 chase

The 26-year-old driver of a car loaded with fentanyl is accused of leading authorities on a high-speed chase on I-43 in Belgium last week that began when an officer noticed the smell of marijuana emanating from the vehicle and ended with drugs and a loaded handgun being thrown from the car.

Milwaukee residents Ed D. Pierson, who also led authorities on a foot chase, and Shamyra R. Nelson, who was a passenger in the car during the chase, have been charged with multiple felonies in Ozaukee County Circuit Court in connection with the Tuesday, April 26, incident.

According to the criminal complaint, a state trooper monitoring traffic on I-43 noticed a 2018 Chevrolet Malibu with almost solid black tinted windows slow down as it neared him at 1:25 p.m.

The trooper began following the vehicle and noticed the smell of marijuana coming from it. He pulled the car over just north of Jay Road.

As soon as the passenger in the Malibu, who at the time was Pierson, rolled down the window, the trooper was overwhelmed by the smell of marijuana, the complaint states. Nelson was driving at the time.

The trooper returned to his squad car to check the backgrounds of Pierson and Nelson, then noticed a lot of movement in their car. When he went back to the vehicle, it sped away, heading north on I-43 before using a crossover to make a U-turn and heading south, hitting speeds of more than 100 mph, according to the complaint.

Another officer was waiting in the median of I-43 to deploy tire spikes, and as the Malibu approached him it swerved toward the officer, causing him to twist his ankle, the complaint states.

Although the car hit the tire spikes, it continued to speed away at 95 mph with rubber flying off its tires.

Eventually the car slowed and a bag containing a white substance and a black object were thrown from the car. The white substance was later tested and found to be fentanyl. The black object was a stolen handgun, which was loaded, according to the complaint.

The Malibu eventually pulled over near Highway D and Pierson got out of the driver’s seat and ran, scaling a fence and continuing to run until he complied with an officer’s commands to stop.

Nelson was in the passenger seat. Dash cam video from the trooper’s car showed that she and Pierson switched seats before the chase.

In addition to the drugs that were thrown from the vehicle, authorities found fentanyl and marijuana in a bag in the car that Nelson said belonged to her, although she insisted she didn’t put the drugs in her bag and blamed Pierson for stashing them there, the complaint states.

Pierson repeatedly told officers that he was solely responsible for the drugs in the car and the chase and Nelson should not be arrested.

Pierson and Nelson are both charged with felony counts of possession of a firearm by a felon and possession with intent to deliver fentanyl and marijuana.

Pierson is also charged with first-degree recklessly endangering safety and attempting to flee an officer.

According to court records, Pierson was previously convicted in Milwaukee County of attempting to flee an officer.

Nelson was previously convicted in Milwaukee County of endangering safety-reckless use of a firearm.

Pierson is being held in the Ozaukee County jail on $50,000 bail.

Nelson is being held on $30,000 bail.