Tosa Police Led on High-speed Chase before Suspect Crashes into Tree

An intoxicated Waukesha man led police on a high-speed chase through Wauwatosa streets before slamming his car into a tree, court documents allege.

Jacob Ponting, 20, was charged June 27 in Milwaukee County Circuit Court with attempting to flee or elude a traffic officer. If convicted of the felony charge, he could face up to three years and six months imprisonment, $10,000 in fines, or both.

According to the criminal complaint:

On June 23, a Wauwatosa police office attempted to pull a car over for speeding in the 2400 block of North 68th Street, the criminal complaint says. 

After the officer activated his emergency lights, the suspect continued to speed, turning onto West North Avenue, slowing for a bit near North Wauwatosa Avenue, before turning eastbound on West Meinecke Avenue. There, the car fishtailed and slammed into a tree, the court documents say. 

With smoke and sparks coming from the car, the driver tried to speed away, but ultimately stopped in the 2400 block of North 74th Street where police took him into custody, according to the criminal complaint. 

Police say the driver, Ponting, smelled of alcohol and had slurred speech. Police say he was driving with a 0.16 blood alcohol content, the criminal complaint says. 

Ponting’s preliminary court hearing is scheduled for July 12, according to online court records.