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High-speed chase leads to jail

Suspect is a registered sex offender

Widder
Widder

Dustin M. Widder, 21, Antigo, is charged with fleeing an officer.

At 3:32 a.m. Sunday, May 17, Clintonville Police Officer Matthew Wright was running stationary radar from the Walgreen’s parking lot when he clocked a light brown Chevy doing 48 mph in a 25 mph zone on South Main Street.

Wright pulled behind the Chevy, which then turned north on U.S. Highway 45. The officer activated his lights as the vehicle accelerated rapidly and drove down the middle of the two northbound lanes, according to the criminal complaint.

The pursuit continued for 5.8 miles along U.S. 45, reaching speeds up to 117 mph, before the Chevy pulled over near the intersection of U.S. 45 and County Trunk S.

Wright pulled behind the Chevy and obtained its license plate number, which came back as registered to Widder.
As Wright began to exit his squad car, the Chevy took off again, the complaint says.

Wright pursued until Seventh Street, then stopped the high-speed chase due to safety concerns.

He continued north on U.S. 45 at non-emergency speeds into Shawano County where Wright located the Chevy on the shoulder of the road. There were skid marks indicating that the tires had locked up.

Wright reported that the driver was gone and there were beer cans inside the vehicle. He followed a trail of empty beer cans to a ditch where the officer found an open case of beer.

Wright went to a nearby home where he found a woman carrying two bags, standing on the porch. The woman admitted to being in the car, but denied knowing the name of the driver, the complaint says.

When Wright told the woman that if she knew the driver but failed to disclose his name she could be charged with obstructing an officer, she cried and said the driver was a friend who had been intoxicated and would not allow anyone else to drive.

Waupaca County Sheriff’s Deputy Bill Zeamer arrived with his K-9 partner, Arrow, who helped find Widder’s wallet under the driver’s seat.

On May 18, Wright contacted Widder’s mother by phone. She said Widder did not pull over because he was on probation, the complaint says.

On May 28, Wright learned that Widder was in Langlade County jail on a probation hold.

Widder was convicted of resisting an officer and disorderly conduct as a repeat offender in February in Langlade County and placed on two years of probation. His probation was revoked on June 30 and he was sentenced to seven months in jail with work release privileges.

Widder is also a registered sex offender.

In September 2014, Widder was convicted of felony sexual assault of a child in Marathon County and placed on five years of probation with the condition that he maintain absolute sobriety.

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