A man was taken into custody early morning after leading authorities on a multi-county chase and fleeing his vehicle after crashing in Hales Corner.
The chase began in Walworth County and ended with the suspect crashing into a road construction sign on I-43 north near 116th Street in southwestern Milwaukee County.
The suspect fled into a wooded area and was found with the aid of K9 dogs and a drone.
According to a news release from the New Berlin Police Department, their officers were notified that a Walworth County deputy was pursuing a silver Kia Forte with no registration plates at around 2:39 a.m.
The driver was pulled over but drove away after the deputy noticed the smell of marijuana in his car.
New Berlin Police later tried to stop the vehicle in the northbound lanes of I-43 near Sunnyslope Road but the driver failed to stop and the chase ensued.
Authorities say the car was eventually stopped after running over stop sticks, causing the crash into the sign.
“The tires deflated and the vehicle hit a construction sign in that area," Captain Mike Glider said. "[The vehicle then crashed], sustained some front-end damage. The driver who was alone in the vehicle got out and fled on foot."
Police say the suspect was found hiding in a nearby yard, bitten by a K9 and taken into custody without further incident.
Several law enforcement agencies from multiple counties assisted with the chase and search.
The section of the highway was shut down during the investigation, but the area was cleared in time for the morning commute.
“These type of apprehensions really require a coordinated effort among many different departments, and the sharing of resources of information really helped lead to the apprehension of the suspect," Captain Glider said.
