Car, foot chase ends when deputy dog nabs man

A 48-year-old Sheboygan man accused of leading authorities on a chase from Mequon to Saukville last week, throwing beer cans out the window of his vehicle and nearly hitting oncoming motorists as he drove in the wrong lane, was charged Monday in Ozaukee County Circuit Court with multiple felonies.

Shawn M. Whitman, who ultimately ran from his car after crashing into a patrol vehicle and was arrested only after being chased down by a Sheriff’s Office dog and tased by officers, is charged with fleeing an officer causing property damage and two counts of first-degree recklessly endangering safety, as well as misdemeanor counts of resisting an officer and possession of marijuana. He was issued a citation for first-offense driving while intoxicated.

According to a criminal complaint, Ozaukee County sheriff’s deputy Jacob Reuteler spotted a black Acura with two flat tires heading north at 16 mph on Port Washington Road near Mequon Road in Mequon at 4:23 a.m. Thursday, April 23.

After learning the vehicle was connected to a chase hours earlier in South Milwaukee and the driver, later identified as Whitman, was wanted by authorities, Reuteler attempted to pull the car over, but Whitman accelerated to about 66 mph and drove on several side streets before looping back around to Port Washington Road and heading north.

Deputy Michael Zilke was waiting farther north on Port Washington Road with tire spikes, but as Whitman approached the deputy, who was outside of his vehicle, he swerved toward him and nearly hit the officer, the complaint states.

As Whitman continued north, deputies made several attempts to box the Acura in, but Whitman attempted to hit their vehicles and evaded capture, according to the complaint.

At two points during the chase, beer cans were thrown out of the driver’s side window.

Grafton police officers waiting for Whitman with tire spikes near Lakefield Road were able to deflate the Acura’s two remaining tires. Sgt. Scott McClean then conducted a PIT maneuver, intentionally hitting the vehicle and forcing it to spin completely around and come to a stop.

But Whitman drove off, heading north on Port Washington Road. The chase continued through the villages of Grafton and Saukville, with Whitman driving in the wrong lane and nearly hitting oncoming vehicles, the complaint states.

Officers tried again to box in the Acura, which hit Reuteler’s patrol vehicle and came to a stop in a ditch. Whitman ran away and was later stopped by the Sheriff’s Office’s dog Odin, but he continued to resist officers until they tased him, according to the complaint.

Authorities found 24 gummies in a plastic container labeled “Half Baked contains 10mg Delta-9 THC” in Whitman’s vehicle and noted he smelled of alcohol, the complaint states.

During an April 27 court hearing, Ozaukee County Circuit Judge Sandy Williams set bail for Whitman at $30,000.