EM man accused of OWI, hitting parked car, fleeing state patrol and ramming cruiser

By LeAnn R. Ralph

EAU CLAIRE  —  A 20-year-old man from Elk Mound has been arrested for Operating While Intoxicated after fleeing from a Wisconsin state trooper in Eau Claire, striking another vehicle and ramming the state patrol cruiser several times.

Austin Hanson was arrested October 15 for OWI and eluding officers.

According to a news release from the Wisconsin State Patrol Northwest Region, at about 2:52 a.m. Saturday, October 15, a state trooper attempted to stop a vehicle in the City of Eau Claire for vehicle light violations.

The vehicle, a green Chevrolet Cavalier, failed to stop for the trooper and drove around the same city block twice at the posted speed limit before accelerating through two stop signs.

As the subject attempted to make a right turn at a high rate of speed, the Cavalier side-swiped a parked vehicle that was occupied.

The trooper pulled up behind the suspect vehicle, which went into reverse, rammed the state patrol cruiser and then fled, according to the news release.

The state trooper made sure the occupants of the parked vehicle were not injured, and then the trooper continued pursuing the Cavalier.

The state trooper followed the vehicle for several blocks. In an attempt to go around the state patrol cruiser, the suspect drove into a residential driveway and became hung up on some landscaping. When the trooper attempted to block the Cavalier with his cruiser, the suspect once again rammed the cruiser and then fled, according to the news release.

The suspect’s vehicle eventually drove onto a dead-end road, entered a driveway and struck a tree stump. After the vehicle was disabled, the suspect fled on foot.

The Eau Claire Police Department established a perimeter, but the Cavalier’s driver was not located.

More than an hour later, at 4:41 a.m., the Eau Claire County dispatch center received a call from someone claiming to be the driver of the vehicle and gave the address of his current location.

Officers from the Eau Claire Police Department, along with the state patrol trooper, arrived at the residence and then arrested the 20-year-old driver, Austin Hanson of Elk Mound, for OWI  first offense and eluding officers, according to the news release.

The news release indicated that other charges are pending and that the investigation is continuing.