LINCOLN COUNTY – A man from southeastern Wisconsin was arrested following a wrong-way pursuit and collision with a patrol car and a civilian vehicle on U.S. Hwy. 51 in Lincoln County last week.
According to a release from the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, on Thursday, Oct. 30, at approximately 7:23 p.m., the Lincoln County 911 Dispatch Center received numerous 911 calls reporting a wrong-way driver on U.S. Hwy. 51. The driver was reported to be traveling southbound in the northbound lane and entering Lincoln County from Oneida County.
Callers reported that the vehicle was “all over the road,” according to the Sheriff’s Office.
The Sheriff’s Office said a deputy located the vehicle a short time later, still traveling southbound in the northbound lane of U.S. Hwy. 51 near mile marker 225 in the Town of Skanawan. The deputy attempted to stop the vehicle, but the driver continued southbound, failing to yield to the squad’s emergency lights and siren, the release said.
“The deputy was then going to attempt a PIT (pursuit intervention technique), but was unable to safely do so due to the traffic volume and location,” the Sheriff’s Office stated.
The suspect vehicle continued southbound on U.S. Hwy. 51.
“At that point, out of an overabundance for the safety for all others on the road, a Lincoln County Sheriff’s patrol lieutenant deliberately maneuvered his squad with his emergency lights on in the path of the suspect vehicle, with the intentions of stopping the threat to the motoring public,” the Sheriff’s Office said.
The release said the suspect vehicle struck the occupied patrol car and a civilian vehicle. Both the civilian driver and the Lincoln County patrol lieutenant received “suspected injuries” in the crash, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
The driver of the suspect vehicle, identified as Rory Hofmann, 80, of Grafton, was ultimately taken into custody.
The Sheriff’s Office said Hofmann was expected to appear in court on Monday, Nov. 3, facing charges of operating while intoxicated, causing injury, second offense; first-degree recklessly endangering safety; resisting/failing to stop/fleeing; and numerous traffic violations.
The Lincoln County patrol car received extensive damage due to the crash, according to the release.
The Wisconsin State Patrol is handling the crash reports from the incident.
No further information was released as of press time on Monday, Nov. 2.
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