WISCONSIN — A 52-year-old Waupaca man was taken into custody Tuesday night following an alleged road rage incident that led to a pursuit, a gas station lockdown and multiple criminal charges in Fond du Lac.
According to the Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Office, the incident began around 10:50 p.m. on Interstate 41 near Johnson Street when authorities received reports that the driver of a pickup truck was following a sedan and making hand gestures toward its occupants.
The sedan pulled into a Target parking lot, where the pickup truck reportedly followed and parked nearby. Investigators said the truck driver then exited his vehicle and began acting erratically.
The driver of the sedan told dispatchers he feared for the safety of his family. Authorities instructed him to drive to the Walmart parking lot in an effort to separate from the pickup truck, but the truck continued following the vehicle.
Deputies arrived and observed the sedan attempting to evade the pickup. Officials said the pickup continued following the sedan even after deputies activated their emergency lights and sirens.
The pickup then left the Target parking lot, traveled north and turned east onto Scott Street, where investigators said the driver attempted to flee from law enforcement. Authorities reported the truck reached speeds of approximately 60 mph and ran a stop sign during the pursuit.
The pursuit ended when the pickup turned onto North Peters Avenue and entered a Kwik Trip parking lot, where the sedan had gone in an attempt to escape the situation.
As a precaution, the Kwik Trip was advised to initiate lockdown procedures.
Multiple law enforcement agencies then conducted a high-risk traffic stop, and the driver of the pickup was taken into custody without incident.
The man faces charges of felony fleeing and eluding an officer, four counts of second-degree recklessly endangering safety, and two counts of disorderly conduct.
The Fond du Lac Police Department and North Fond du Lac Police Department assisted in the incident. The case remains under investigation.
