High-speed chase ends in rollover

Multiple area law enforcement agencies were involved in a high-speed pursuit on April 24. 

According to a press release from the Vilas County Sheriff’s Office, sheriff’s deputies responded to a request for a welfare check in the town of Lincoln and upon arrival, “they encountered an armed male sitting in a vehicle.”

The press release stated the person, later identified as Allen Check, 61, Stevens Point, “became agitated” with the deputies and fled in a vehicle. 

An Eagle River police officer attempted to stop the vehicle by using spike strips.

“Contact with the vehicle was lost immediately after deploying the spike strips due to the road conditions and limited visibility,” the press release said. “During a cursory search of the area, the suspect was located and had already gained access to another vehicle.” 

The suspect then fled in the stolen vehicle and a pursuit began, the suspect driving west on State Highway 70 and then turning  south on U.S. Highway 45.

The Oneida County Sheriff’s Office and the Three Lakes police department were notified and assisted with the pursuit, which continued “for more than 20 miles and eventually resulted in the crash/rollover” of the vehicle on Hwy. 17 in Oneida County. 

The press release stated the suspect “continued to not cooperate” with law enforcement and “various non-lethal measures were deployed” including bean bag rounds fired from a 12 gauge shotgun “used to open a window along with pepper ball munitions.”

“The suspect was then taken into custody without any further events,” the press release said. “The suspect was injured during the crash and was transported to St. Mary’s in Rhinelander.” 

From there, the suspect was flown by helicopter to Aspirus in Wausau.

The Vilas and Oneida County sheriff’s offices are investigating the incident.

The Wisconsin State Patrol was also involved in the incident. 

According to Wisconsin court records, at the time of Thursday’s chase in Vilas and Oneida counties, Check was out on $5,000 bond in Portage County and was due in court there on May 12.

Charges there include three counts of recklessly endangering safety, which is a Class G felony, and one count of eluding an officer in a vehicle, a Class H felony.

Check is also charged in Portage County with a misdemeanor charge of resisting or obstructing an officer.

Brian Jopek may be reached via email at [email protected].