Police Pursuit, Crash Leads to Man's Fifth OWI Arrest

A driver speeding on Interstate 94 in Oak Creek crashed his vehicle after a police pursuit Sunday night and was arrested for his fifth drunken-driving offense.

According to a Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office news release:

A Milwaukee County sheriff's deputy saw a vehicle pass him at a high rate of speed on I-94 near W. Rawson Avenue just before 11 p.m.

The deputy activated his lights and siren, but the driver, later identified as 44-year-old Brent Fruth, failed to stop. Oak Creek police and the Racine County Sheriff's Department were advised of the pursuit.

Fruth exited at Highway G traveling about 90 mph. Due to safety concerns, the deputy stopped his pursuit.

However, Caledonia police soon found the vehicle after it crashed into a guardrail and came to rest in the front yard of a home near the intersection of Highway G and Highway H.

Fruth, a Franksville resident, was hiding in the bushes near the scene. He was arrested and turned over to Milwaukee County sheriff's deputies.

Fruth is being held without bail in Milwaukee County jail. The sheriff's office is seeking charges of fleeing/eluding an officer, recklessly endangering safety and drunken driving. The Caledonia Police Department has issued citations for unreasonable and imprudent speed, and failure to stop for a stop sign.

He was previously convicted of OWI in December 1996, May 1999, November 2001 and July 2008.

Caledonia police are still investigating the crash.