Robbery suspect shot following police chase through Walworth, Waukesha Counties
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Keller Russell reports Video by tmj4.com
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ELKHORN- It started with a bank robbery and ended with a Walworth County Sheriff's deputy opening fire in the middle of a county road.
A bank robber walked into a small, rural bank this Friday afternoon armed. Minutes later, a state trooper spotted the suspect's car and the chase was on.
Maggie Stelter listened on the radio as a police chase ended in gunfire on the road in front of her Mukwonago home -- near the Waukesha-Walworth County line.
"This is country living pretty much…very unusual," said Stelter.
A Walworth County deputy shot the driver as he tried to run the deputy over during a high-speed chase.
"My deputy was outside of the car he was kneeling to put the stop stick down and the car was bearing down on him," said Walworth County Sheriff David Graves. "He had no other choice."
Authorities believe the man they shot robbed a Peoples Bank -- a few miles north of Elkhorn -- before leading them on the 15-minute pursuit.
"It was a long route, it was in and out of Waukesha County, at times he was even off-roading into one of the county parks in Waukesha County," said Graves.
Helen Newman watched as the flashing lights flew by her home, until authorities told her to take cover.
"All I was told when I came out was 'please get back in the house'...and I did."
In the end, no one other than the robbery suspect was hurt. And for that, neighbors like Helen Newman breathed a sigh of relief.
"If he was shot and he was robbing, I'm sorry I cant sympathize with him," said Newman. "We all have to work hard. We all have responsibility."
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