Police: Blowing a Red Light Leads to 24-Mile Chase

A woman police say almost caused a crash by blowing a red light, followed that up by leading officers on a 24.1-mile chase, from Oak Creek to Illinois.

Michele M. Hart, 47, of Milwaukee, is charged with fleeing a traffic officer for the March 14 incident. 

The chase began when an Oak Creek officer tried to stop Hart, according to the criminal complaint, after he saw her go through two red lights. At the light at 27th Street and Ryan Road, the officer reported Hart's failure to stop almost caused an accident. 

He, another Oak Creek officer and a State Patrol officer followed her south onto the freeway, the criminal complaint states, where officers report her speed varied from 50 to 70 mph. About eight minutes into the pursuit, she appeared to be stopping and a State Patrol vehicle got in front to slow it down. 

Officers said Hart eventually stopped, but then sped away. 

Other agencies joined in, and one deployed spike strips. They followed the vehicle all the way to Illinois, where the driver continued—now driving on a tire that was turning into shreds. The driver was eventually stopped by Highland Park police, the criminal complaint states, after another going over another set of spike strips.