Men who fled officers, hit cop car face felonies

Two Illinois men face felony charges in Ozaukee County Circuit Court after they sped away from authorities on I-43, slammed into the back of a Port Washington  Police Department squad car and ran across the freeway and away from officers last week.

The men, both of whom were convicted of the aggravated use of a gun earlier this year in Illinois, were arrested near Plier’s Full Circle restaurant in the Town of Port Washington early Thursday, Oct. 20.

The driver of the 2008 Acura MDX, Amarian S. Graham, 20, is being held in the Ozaukee County jail in lieu of $50,000 bail. Graham is currently free on bail in connection with a weapons charge in Rock County.

Bail for Anthony M. Blan, 22, who was a passenger in the vehicle, was set at $25,000.

After the men were arrested, authorities discovered that the Acura SUV Graham was driving was riddled with bullet holes covered by tape. Because of a lack of rust around the holes, authorities believe the vehicle was recently hit by gunfire.

Inside the SUV, authorities found a Glock 9mm handgun with a bullet in the chamber and fitted with a high-capacity drum magazine loaded with 26 rounds of ammunition.

According to the criminal complaint, an Ozaukee County sheriff’s deputy was on I-43 just south of Highway 33 in Saukville when he saw the Acura speeding north at 11:10 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 19. The deputy tried to catch up to the SUV, but it accelerated away from him.

The deputy activated his squad car’s emergency lights and the Acura slowed to about 50 mph while passing another deputy on I-43 before racing away at speeds of about 100 mph.

The deputies chased the SUV for about 45 seconds, then broke off the pursuit.

A minute later, Port Washington police officer Noah Narlock, who had been advised of the fleeing vehicle and was parked on the shoulder of the northbound I-43 on-ramp on the north side of Port, reported that the SUV, which exited the freeway, then immediately attempted to get back on it, had slammed into the back of his car.

The SUV and the squad car were badly damaged, and Narlock saw Graham and Blan get out of the Acura. Despite Narlock’s orders to stop, the men ran across all four lanes of I-43 toward Plier’s Full Circle, the complaint states.

Narlock chased them until other officers arrived, then was taken by ambulance to an area hospital.

Deputies spotted Blan near the restaurant and arrested him at gunpoint.

Deputies and police dogs were searching for Graham when a woman who lives immediately north of the restaurant told them that a man was on her back porch.

Officers found Graham hiding under an overturned planter in the woman’s yard.

Officers who searched the SUV said it smelled of marijuana and was filled with women’s clothing and purses, as well as children’s items. In addition to the gun, officers found a burnt marijuana cigar, two bags that contained marijuana and a scale in the vehicle, according to the complaint.

Graham, who was convicted in February in Illinois of aggravated unlawful use of a firearm, is charged in Ozaukee County with first-degree recklessly endangering safety, fleeing officers and three counts of bail jumping, all felonies, as well as misdemeanor counts of obstructing an officer and marijuana possession.

Blan, who was convicted of aggravated unlawful use of a firearm in Illinois on Oct. 7, is charged with misdemeanor counts of obstructing an officer and possession of marijuana.

Both men are charged with possession of a firearm by an out-of-state felon.