A Gillett man is in custody after he fled from a traffic stop after allegedly driving erratically on state Highway 22 and, later, allegedly fighting with officers who tried to take him into custody at his home.
Aaron John Husted, 37, is charged with three counts of first-degree recklessly endangering safety, resisting arrest, fleeing an officer in a vehicle and felony bail jumping, as well as misdemeanor counts of resisting or obstructing an officer, disorderly conduct and bail jumping, in connection with an incident that allegedly occurred March 20.
Husted was also ticketed for operating a motor vehicle to the left of the center line and driving while his license was suspended.
According to the criminal complaint, deputies were dispatched to the area west of Messenger Road in the Town of Oconto Falls around 6:35 p.m. March 20 on a report that a driver was swerving toward oncoming traffic and forcing other drivers off the road.
Deputy Steve Hansen encountered a vehicle headed east in the westbound lane near Duame Road in the Town of Stiles, and the deputy had to pull to the side of the road to avoid a head-on collision, the complaint said. The car went into the Kwik Trip lot at 5908 Duame Road and stopped.
Hansen pulled in next to the vehicle and asked for the driver’s license. According to the complaint, the man started to open his door and said, “I’m just going in the store quick.” The deputy pushed the door shut and told him, “This is a traffic stop, and you are not free to leave.”
The deputy radioed the car’s license plate into dispatch, and at that point a man walked up to Hansen and said, “This guy just about ran me off the road, up here on 22.”
Before Hansen could get the witness’ name, Husted restarted his car and drove away, according to the complaint. A chase began westbound on Highway 22 at speeds estimated up to 90 mph, and Hansen saw at least two vehicles that had been forced to the shoulder as the suspect vehicle swerved and passed.
Husted managed to avoid a tire deflation device that an Oconto Falls officer had deployed to try stopping the car, and the high-speed chase was broken off because deputies could assume he was heading toward the Elm Avenue address on Husted’s license.
Hansen and the other officers arrived at the home a short time later, but Husted did not respond to their attempts to have him come to the door. A total of seven officers set up a perimeter around the home, and a search warrant to enter the home was obtained about two hours later.
Armed with a weapon known as a “less lethal impact munitions round,” the officers knocked and, receiving no response, kicked in the door. According to the complaint, almost immediately Husted charged at them and struck at an officer with a hammer, hitting the officer’s ballistic shield, then ducking away. Hansen hit Husted with a total of three less-lethal rounds before he surrendered, the complaint said.
Husted appeared in Oconto County Circuit Court March 22. Judge Michael Judge set bail at $50,000 cash and adjourned his initial appearance until 9 a.m. April 11.
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