Man who led cops on chase with fentanyl flying from car faces prison

A 27-year-old man who a year ago led authorities on a high-speed chase on I-43 in northern Ozaukee County while fentanyl and a loaded gun were thrown from the car he was driving pleaded guilty to three felonies last week in Ozaukee County Circuit Court.

Ed D. Pierson of Milwaukee faces a recommendation from prosecutors that he be sentenced to 11 years in prison and six years of extended supervision for first-degree recklessly endangering safety, possession of a firearm by a felon and possession with intent to deliver fentanyl.

He is scheduled to be sentenced by Ozaukee County Circuit Judge Steven Cain on May 17.

The case dates to Tuesday, April 26, 2022, when, at 1:25 p.m., 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.

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 in the Town of Belgium.

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 car was being driven by Shamyra R. Nelson, 30, of Milwaukee, who is charged with multiple felonies and whose case is still pending in Ozaukee County Circuit Court, according to a criminal complaint.

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 that 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 was also charged with attempting to flee an officer, possession with intent to deliver marijuana and cocaine and obstructing an officer, but those charges were dismissed as part of a plea agreement and read into the record, which means Cain can consider them when sentencing him.

Nelson is charged with being a party to the crimes of possession with intent to deliver fentanyl, marijuana and cocaine, as well as possession of a firearm by a felon. Her trial is scheduled to begin on Nov. 14.

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 has been in custody since his arrest.

Nelson is free in lieu of $10,000 bail.