Oconto man charged with OWI after chase

An Oconto man is due back in Oconto County Circuit Court on April 11 after he allegedly led police officers on a high-speed chase with two of his children in the back seat. Steven M. Ducat, 37, was charged March 18 with operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated (fourth offense), five counts of first-degree recklessly endangering safety, fleeing an officer in a vehicle, two counts of misdemeanor disorderly conduct and misdemeanor counts of resisting or obstructing an officer, operating while revoked and violating an ignition interlock order, in connection with an incident that allegedly occurred March 17 in the city of Oconto. According to the criminal complaint, Ducat’s wife called police at 6:09 p.m. to report that her husband had been drinking heavily and then drove away with the two children. Police Sgt. Brandon Tousey spotted Ducat’s vehicle going in the opposite direction on Superior Avenue; when the officer turned around to follow, he noticed Ducat speed up. Tousey activated his siren and emergency lights and pursued Ducat southbound on Superior at speeds up to 70 mph in the 25 mph zone, the complaint said. At one point, they approached a truck backing up a trailer and taking up almost the entire roadway, and Ducat allegedly drove up onto the curb and around the vehicle, narrowly missing a woman on the sidewalk. Moments later, Tousey reported seeing a woman — later identified as Ducat’s mother-in-law — standing in the roadway waving at Ducat to stop, and the suspect vehicle narrowly missed hitting her. The chase proceeded east onto Adams Street, and Ducat pulled into the Karban Family Dentist parking lot, where he got out of the vehicle and ran away, the complaint said. A foot chase ensued, but Ducat stumbled and fell when he looked back at the officer. He was placed under arrest but reportedly resisted and yelled profanities while being transported to the hospital to be checked before being taken to the Oconto County Jail, and a warrant was obtained to draw blood for a blood-alcohol content test. During a March 18 court appearance, Judge Michael Judge set bail at $50,000 cash and adjourned the initial appearance until 9 a.m. April 11.