Fond du Lac Police K-9 Packo helps apprehend young chase suspect

Fond du Lac K-9 Packo helped apprehend a 16-year-old Milwaukee boy fleeing on foot following a high-speed chase and collision on Johnson Street on Wednesday night.

At about 6:05 p.m., the Fond du Lac Police were sent to West Scott and North Hickory streets for a report of a suspicious vehicle in the area, according to a Fond du Lac Police Department press release. The plate on the car matched a vehicle from the city of Milwaukee in a strong-armed carjacking.

Fond du Lac Police spotted the car, a Volkswagen Passat, at about 7:33 p.m. in the parking lot of Kwik Trip on North Park Avenue. An officer pulled behind the vehicle and the suspect began ramming a police SUV and another vehicle in an attempt to escape.

In a video provided to Action Reporter Media by a witness at Kwik Trip, police are seen approaching the vehicle with a K-9 unit and weapons drawn. The suspect escapes onto East Scott Street with a damaged rear door on the driver's side. Two police officers pursue the suspect through the northeast side of the city.

The suspect went eastbound on Johnson Street/Highway 23 until County UU where the suspect and pursuers turned around and came back into the city, according to police.

Officers attempted to deploy stop sticks at two different locations but the suspect turned onto Country Lane into a Walgreens store parking lot and rammed another squad car. He pulled back onto Johnson Street/23 westbound where he struck a civilian vehicle and lost control striking a speed sign, light pole and some trees near National Avenue.

The suspect attempted to run from police but he was caught by K-9 Packo and handler Officer Ben Hardgrove.

The boy was taken into custody and transported to St. Agnes Hospital for a dog bite from the K-9.

The driver of a Ford Expedition struck by the suspect did not appear injured, according to witnesses at the scene. A debris field stretched for more than 75 yards across Johnson Street.

The youth faces charges in Fond du Lac, including multiple counts of recklessly endangering safety, operating a motor vehicle without the owner's consent, eluding an officer and resisting arrest. He faces additional charges in Milwaukee.

The Wisconsin State Patrol is investigating the crashes caused by the suspect. Fond du Lac County Sheriff's Office, Fond du Lac Fire and Rescue and the Fond du Lac Public Works assisted at the scene.

Johnson Street was expected to be closed into the evening as the investigation continued.

Preliminary scanner reports indicate the chase may have reached 95 mph.