Man gets four years for high-speed I-43 chase

A 33-year-old man accused of leading sheriff’s deputies on a high-speed I-43 chase between Saukville and the Town of Port Washington while passing vehicles at more than 100 mph and driving between two semis in March was sentenced recently to four years in prison. 

Thomas J. Mullens of Sheboygan Falls, who pleaded guilty to felony charges of second-degree recklessly endangering safety, fleeing an officer and possession of methamphetamine during an Oct. 6 hearing, was also sentenced by Ozaukee County Circuit Judge Steve Cain to five years of extended supervision following his incarceration.

Two additional counts of second-degree recklessly endangering safety as well as charges of bail jumping and driving after his license was revoked were dismissed as part of a plea agreement but read into the record, which means Cain could consider the facts surrounding the charges when sentencing Mullins, who at the time of his arrest was wanted in Sheboygan County on multiple felony charges, including fleeing an officer. 

  According to a criminal complaint, at 5:30 a.m. Tuesday, March 10, Ozaukee County sheriff’s deputy Michael Zilke, who knew Mullens was wanted by authorities, spotted his vehicle heading north on I-43. Zilke pulled up to the vehicle to see that Mullens was driving, then attempted to pull him over near Highway 33 in Saukville.

Mullens pulled partially onto the shoulder of the freeway and slowed to about 10 mph before speeding away, the complaint states.

Mullens passed an SUV at about 105 mph, then blew past a pickup truck going roughly 115 mph before racing past a sedan, according to the complaint.

As he continued north into the Town of Port Washington, Mullens encountered two semitrucks driving side-by-side and began driving on the shoulder next to a guardrail as if he was going to pass them on the shoulder of a bridge. At the last minute, Mullens swerved back into the traffic lanes, drove between the semis and sped off at 115 mph, the complaint states.

At Highway B, Mullens passed a deputy waiting in a turnaround and swerved into the right lane, almost hitting a semi, as if he thought the deputy was going to deploy tire spikes.

Mullens sped past another car before hitting tire spikes deployed by a deputy and coming to a stop on I-43 north of Highway LL.

Mullens was arrested, and while searching his vehicle deputies found a so-called corner-cut bag, the type often used to package drugs. The crystal-like substance in the bag tested positive for methamphetamine, according to the complaint.

Mullens was charged with bail jumping because at the time of the chase he was free in lieu of bail on a Sheboygan County charge of driving after his license was revoked.

He was wanted on a host of charges filed in Sheboygan County Circuit Court on Jan. 27 that, in addition to fleeing an officer, include felony counts of first-degree recklessly endangering safety and substantial battery in a domestic abuse situation. That case is still pending.