West Allis prisoner escapes custody; dashcam, bodycam video released
The Brief
A Milwaukee man that escaped custody last month led West Allis police officers on a high-speed chase before getting arrested again.
29-year-old Charles Gregory was identified as the driver and sole occupant of the vehicle.
Gregory had three outstanding warrants.
WEST ALLIS, Wis. - A Milwaukee man that escaped custody last month led West Allis police officers on a high-speed chase before getting arrested again.
What we know
It happened on April 15.
Using a Flock camera, West Allis police found a car reported stolen out of Fitchburg near 84th and McMyron, which they eventually tracked to a Clark gas station at 84th & Greenfield. They found it parked but running, and when an officer walked up to it, the car took off.
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29-year-old Charles Gregory was identified as the driver and sole occupant of the vehicle.
Police chased the car for more than seven miles, reaching speeds of 90 miles per hour. The driver swerved at times onto the shoulder, turned into the wrong lanes of traffic, criss-crossed parking lots and eventually succumbed to a PIT Maneuver in a parking lot near 124th and Capitol.
When the car lost a tire, Gregory took off and ran north. Officers used a taser to subdue and arrest him.
Gregory had three outstanding warrants.
Dig deeper
According to the criminal complaint, officers found he had a backpack that contained a "green leafy substance" and a digital scale. The substance tested positive for THC. Police also found prescription pills and more THC in the car.
Police took Gregory to Aurora West Allis Medical Center to be checked out. While there, the complaint said he admitted to smoking weed "all day every day", including earlier in the day before the pursuit, so they also arrested him for OWI.
The complaint said Gregory complained he couldn't walk, so an officer used a wheelchair to escort him out of the hospital to his squad. It says Gregory requested a wrap for his right ankle. As the officer was opening the squad door, Gregory jumped out of the wheelchair while handcuffed and took off running again.
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Police canvassed a neighborhood directly east of the hospital, where they saw Gregory running. They eventually found surveillance video showing Gregory on the driveway of a home on West Hayes Avenue. Police contacted the homeowner, who let them search his detached garage.
West Alice officers saw boots beneath a car parked in the garage matching what Gregory was wearing before escaping custody.
The complaint said they eventually found Gregory lying in the backseat of the car with his hands still in cuffs behind his back.
What's next
Gregory is due back in court on Friday, June 6. His bond was set at $25,000.
He's now also facing charges in Dane County, where he's accused of stealing the car used in the chase.
The Source
Information in this report is from the Milwaukee County District Attorney's Office and Wisconsin Circuit Court.
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