Driver of limo leads Wisconsin officers in chase through wooded area after crashing during pursuit
By: -----
After crashing a limousine while leading southeastern Wisconsin officers on a brief pursuit, the driver fled on foot and hid in a wooded area, where he was later caught and arrested.
Pleasant Prairie Police Department shows both the dashcam and body camera footage from the incident, which began around 3:40 p.m. on September 16 when an officer spotted a limo driving ‘well under’ the posted speed limit.
A traffic stop was initiated near the 9200 block of Sheridan Road, but the driver allegedly sped off, leading to a brief pursuit.
When the driver, later identified as 37-year-old Bradley Semrich, tried to pass other southbound vehicles on the shoulder, he lost control and crashed into a ditch. Semrich then reportedly fled from the limo.
After setting up a perimeter with additional officers from Illinois, Semrich was spotted several blocks away before allegedly fleeing into a wooded area.
With help from a K9, an officer found Semrich hiding in the woods, where he then allegedly ‘engaged the officer in a physical altercation,’ which reportedly included biting the officer.
Semrich was then taken into custody without further incident. A search of the vehicle reportedly led to the seizure of methamphetamine and other items consistent with drug dealing. The 37-year-old from Portage was subsequently taken to a local hospital for evaluation before being transported to the Kenosha County Jail. It was learned that Semrich had multiple outstanding warrants and was a convicted felon.
Court records show that charges to Semrich include:
* Vehicle Operator Flee/Elude Officer
* Battery or Threat to Judge, Prosecutor, or Law Enforcement Officer
* 1st-Degree Recklessly Endangering Safety
* Obstructing an Officer
* Possess w/ Intent-Amphetamine/Methamphetamine/etc. (>3-10g)
* Possess Drug Paraphernalia
* Bail Jumping-Felony