PORTAGE, Wis. (WFRV) – A 19-year-old man was arrested following a high-speed pursuit Friday that spanned multiple counties and ended with a deputy injured in a crash.
According to the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, deputies received a report shortly after 2:30 p.m. Feb. 20 from a motorist on State Highway 33 about three vehicles allegedly racing, driving recklessly and passing into oncoming traffic.
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The caller provided descriptions and updates as the vehicles entered the city of Portage. Deputies located two of the vehicles, and one driver pulled over. The second vehicle fled on Highway 33, prompting a pursuit.
Authorities said the vehicle was driven at speeds exceeding 100 mph, passing in no-passing zones and into oncoming traffic. Deputies eventually lost sight of the vehicle and terminated the pursuit.
A short time later, a Wisconsin State Patrol trooper located the vehicle in the parking lot of Boxxx Office. Another attempted stop led to the vehicle fleeing again at high speed onto Interstate 90/94. That pursuit was also terminated due to the dangerous driving behavior.
Law enforcement agencies in surrounding jurisdictions were alerted. An officer with the Wisconsin Dells Police Department later located the vehicle as it attempted to exit into Wisconsin Dells, but no pursuit was initiated when it fled again.
In a fourth encounter, the vehicle was located and briefly pursued before the pursuit was terminated after an officer was involved in a crash and injured. During the investigation, authorities identified the suspect as Preston White, 19, of Colfax.
Later that evening, a State Patrol trooper located the vehicle in Osseo. Officials said the license plates had been removed and the vehicle’s appearance altered. Another individual was driving at the time and was taken into custody.
White was later arrested by the Dunn County Sheriff’s Office and made his initial court appearance. He has since been released on a $2,500 cash bond.
The Columbia County Sheriff’s Office described the driving behavior as extremely dangerous, noting the pursuit occurred during heavy Friday afternoon traffic and involved a high-powered sports car capable of very high speeds. Officials said it was fortunate no one was seriously injured or killed.
Authorities emphasized that decisions to pursue are not taken lightly and are based on multiple safety factors. The investigation remains ongoing, and additional charges are possible in Columbia and other counties.
