High-speed chase through county lands man in jail

Milwaukee resident who fled officers at more than 120 mph faces felonies
By 
BILL SCHANEN IV
Ozaukee Press staff

A 28-year-old Milwaukee man has been charged in Ozaukee County Circuit Court with hitting speeds of more than 120 mph as he raced away from authorities through much of Ozaukee County into Sheboygan County before doubling back and speeding into the heart of Grafton Sunday.

At one point during the chase, Andrew A. Campbell drove over tire spikes deployed by officers and eventually stopped his car on Beech Street in Grafton, according to a criminal complaint filed in Ozaukee County Circuit Court Monday.

Officers drew their rifles and ordered Campbell to get out of the car, but he drove away only to stop a short time later on Wisconsin Avenue, where he was arrested after being pepper sprayed by an officer.

Campbell, who was being held in the county jail in lieu of $30,000 bail earlier this week, is charged with second-degree recklessly endangering safety and attempting to flee an officer, both felonies, as well as two misdemeanor counts of obstructing an officer.

The chase began at about 2:30 p.m. March 31 after a Grafton police officer was notified that a Nissan stolen from Milwaukee a day earlier by a person wanted in connection with a domestic abuse battery case may be traveling north on I-43. The officer, who was parked along the freeway, spotted the vehicle driving north, activated his emergency lights and siren and began chasing the car.

Campbell, who was the only person in the vehicle, increased his speed while changing lanes and driving onto the shoulder to get around what the officer described as medium traffic on the freeway, the complaint states.

The officer reported that he was driving at between 100 and 120 mph and could not keep up with Campbell, according to the complaint.

The officer discontinued the chase as Campbell merged onto Highway 57 near Saukville, but an Ozaukee County sheriff’s deputy passed him and attempted to catch up to the Nissan.

A short time later, Sheboygan County authorities notified their counterparts in Ozaukee County that Campbell had turned around and was driving south on Highway 57. Deputies spotted his car on the highway in Fredonia and began chasing him as he continued south and back onto I-43, the complaint states.

Campbell drove around tire spikes deployed on I-43 in the Town of Grafton, then exited the freeway at Highway 32 and drove the wrong way in the median into the Village of Grafton.

Tire spikes were again deployed, this time on Grafton Avenue at Willow Lane. Campbell hit them but continued driving, heading west on Washington Street, then south on 12th Avenue before stopping on Beech Street.

That is where Grafton officers drew their rifles and ordered Campbell to get out of the car.

Campbell instead drove away and was heading south on Wisconsin Avenue when he stopped the car abruptly just north of Ninth Avenue, according to the complaint.

Officers could see Campbell, who again was ignoring commands to get out of the car, banging his head. He then opened the car door suddenly, was pepper sprayed by one of the officers and arrested.

Recklessly endangering safety is punishable by a maximum five years in prison and five years of extended supervision.

Attempting to flee an officer is punishable by a maximum three years in prison and three years of extended supervision.

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Wisconsin’s largest paid circulation community weekly newspaper. Serving Port Washington, Saukville, Grafton, Fredonia, Belgium, as well as Ozaukee County government. Locally owned and printed in Port Washington, Wisconsin.

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