Convicted felon facing 2 more charges from high-speed chase, failing to register as sex offender

RACINE— A four-time convicted felon who has previously served eight years in state prison now faces two additional felonies in Racine County Circuit Court.

Laquis L. Dawkins Jr., 31, of Racine, is charged with felony first-degree recklessly endangering safety and felony failure to register as a sex offender in two separate cases filed this week.

Dawkins remains in custody in the Racine County Jail on a $2,000 cash bond in each case.

The first criminal complaint: convicted felon flees traffic stop

On Aug. 3, 2022, a Racine County Sheriff’s Department deputy on routine patrol observed Dawkins as he operated a dark gray or black Chevrolet Trailblazer at the corner of 16^th Street and Flett Avenue. The officer stated that, when Dawkins saw him, he “braked hard and fast and whipped into an alley way” between Flett and Grange avenues and began to head north.

As the officer attempted to catch the vehicle, the defendant allegedly sped away, but eventually slowed, and the officer was able to get the registration. Dawkins then turned south and traveled at about 88 mph in an alley, where his vehicle nearly collided with a silver SUV that had pulled in front of him.

Police eventually stopped the pursuit because of the danger to the public, the complaint states. Police later determined the defendant had purchased the vehicle and confirmed through a records check that Dawkins Jr. was the driver.

Through the use of a probation-ordered ankle monitor, police also could track the defendant’s location to that area at the top of the pursuit.

Court records show four previous felony convictions for Dawkins Jr., most recently for burglary in 2019, which preceded a conviction for incest in 2010. He served three years in prison for the burglary conviction and five years for the incest conviction.

Dawkins Jr. also has previous felony convictions for fleeing/eluding, once in 2017 and another in 2021, along with two misdemeanor convictions for lewd/lascivious behavior in 2022.

Because of that 2010 incest conviction, Dawkins is required to register with the Wisconsin Sex Offender Registry, which led to the second felony charge issued this last week.

According to that criminal complaint:

Dawkins Jr. was released from Dodge Correctional Institution on July 13, 2021, and a registration letter was mailed to his reported address.

On Aug. 9, 2022, the defendant’s probation and parole agent reported that he had been non-compliant and had cut off his GPS bracelet. A second letter was sent to Dawkins Jr., which was unreturned, followed by a voicemail left in September. In August, the defendant left a voicemail with a new number and an address; a new letter was sent that again went unreturned.

Authorities continued to try and reach Dawkins Jr. into November of 2022 but still were unable to get a returned letter, which led to the second felony charge.

Dawkins is due back in court on July 26, for an 8:30 preliminary hearing.