No criminal liability for trooper, deputy in chase that ended in fatal crash in Town of Blue Mounds

There is no potential criminal liability for a Wisconsin State Patrol trooper and Iowa County Sheriff’s deputy who were involved in a pursuit that ended in a fatal crash according to the Dane County District Attorney. The crash occurred on March 2 along Highway 151 near mile marker 65 in the Town of Blue Mounds. 28-year-old Bo Johnson was identified as the driver killed in the crash. An Iowa County deputy spotted Johnson’s vehicle, turned on lights and siren and began chasing it. Shortly after, a Wisconsin State Patrol trooper joined in. As the chase crossed into Dane County, additional law enforcement laid out spike strips near mile marker 66 on Highway 151. According to Ozanne, as Johnson was approaching the strips he moved left to avoid a vehicle then veered back across both lanes and off the road. Johnson’s vehicle rolled multiple times before stopping on its roof. Johnson was ejected and flung 75 feet away from the vehicle. He died at the scene. There was no evidence that law enforcement ever made contact with Johnson’s vehicle before he lost control, and that Johnson crashed before his vehicle’s tires were spiked.