RACINE COUNTY – What started Wednesday as a routine traffic stop on Interstate-94 just south of the State Highway 20 exit ended with a separate vehicle crashing into a Wisconsin Highway Patrol vehicle.
A deputy with the Racine County Sheriff’s Department stopped a car for a traffic and equipment violation.
When the deputy approached the car, he saw two children under the age of two in the backseat. One child had no car seat or seatbelt. The other child was in a car seat, but not properly installed. The deputy identified the driver as Jonah Hughley, 24, of Milwaukee.
Initially Hughley provided a false name. Noticing signs of impairment, the deputy called for backup. They arrest Hughley for two counts of suspicion of drunk driving with a child under the age of 16-years-old.
Hughley called a family member to take custody of the children.
“While moving the children from their vehicle into a squad for transport, Wisconsin State Patrol assisted by blocking a lane of traffic with their squad as well as cones to allow for the children to be moved safely,” the press release reads.
Another car, driven by Harrison Geisler, 25, of Milwaukee, traveled southbound and crashed into the State Patrol vehicle.
“Geisler, who was operating a 2017 Honda Civic, had no traffic in front of or next to him as he approached the State Patrol squad however he drove directly into the rear of it. The Wisconsin State Patrol commercial motor vehicle inspector suffered minor injuries as a result of the crash,” according to the press release.
Suffering minor injuries, rescue personnel took Geisler to a local hospital.
Deputies found drugs and drug paraphernalia. They arrested him on multiple traffic violations including:
- Fail to Move Over or Slow Down for an Emergency Vehicle, 1 st Offense
- Operating While Intoxicated Causing Injury
- Possession of Drug Paraphernalia
- Possession of Heroin