WAUKESHA COUNTY (WITI) — A 27-year-old Waukesha man has been charged in connection with a high-speed pursuit that ended when he crashed a stolen vehicle into an animal hospital in New Berlin.
Arron Gullickson faces one count of attempting to flee or elude a traffic officer and one count of operating a motor vehicle without the owner’s consent (repeater). He also faces three traffic forfeiture citations: OWI, operating with prohibited alcohol concentration, unreasonable and imprudent speed. He remains in jail on a probation hold.
Arron Gullickson
A criminal complaint filed against Gullickson says around 2:30 a.m. Tuesday, April 7th, a sheriff’s deputy observed a vehicle swerve within its lane on I-94 eastbound near Grandview Boulevard in Waukesha. That deputy pulled out to catch the vehicle, and had to increase his speed to 85 miles-per-hour, and he still wasn’t closing in on the vehicle. The deputy finally caught up to the vehicle near Springdale Road, and he was able to get a license plate. The deputy estimates the vehicle was traveling approximately 90 miles-per-hour in a 65 mph zone — crossing the dividing line from lane one into lane three and straddling the dotted line.
The deputy activated his emergency lights and attempted to initiate a traffic stop.
The vehicle didn’t stop — continuing to travel at a high rate of speed, crossing over onto the shoulder before moving sharply back into lane two near Calhoun Road. The deputy observed the vehicle increase its speed to approximately 110 miles-per-hour — getting off of 94 and heading southbound on Moorland Road.
At Greenfield Road, the deputy observed the vehicle travel through a red traffic light at a speed of 120 miles-per-hour.
As the vehicle entered the city of New Berlin, three New Berlin squad cars joined the pursuit.
The vehicle traveled through a red traffic light at Coffee Road — eventually crashing into the New Berlin Animal Hospital just south of National Avenue in New Berlin. The vehicle’s occupant then fled on foot. He was detained a short time later — with the help of “Condor” the police dog, who is a client of the New Berlin Animal Hospital.
“I heard he tried to run and our K9 officer threatened to release Condor, who’s one of our patients, and then he decided to surrender. I would too! Condor is sort of imposing,”
“I was sweeping and Condor was doing a good job looking for evidence. He did find some,”
A deputy made contact with the vehicle’s driver — Arron Gullickson, and detected a moderate odor of intoxicants. When asked if he had been drinking, the complaint indicates Gullickson said “yes.” Gullickson was taken to the New Berlin Police Department for field sobriety tests. A preliminary breath test indicated a result of .116.
Gullickson was placed under arrest for OWI and eluding a traffic officer.
At the Waukesha County Sheriff’s Department, an intoximeter test was administered, and Gullickson’s result was .09.
An investigation revealed the vehicle Gullickson was driving was registered to a Waukesha man. Authorities met with that man and he then realized one of his three vehicles was not in his driveway/garage as it should have been. The complaint indicates the man told authorities he left the vehicle unlocked, and he wasn’t sure if he had left a key inside the vehicle. The man reported he had 15-20 power tools in the vehicle with an approximate value of $2,000 to $3,000.
Those who work at the New Berlin Animal Hospital say they’re just happy everyone is okay — saying this situation could have been much worse if it had happened during the day, when dogs, cats and their owners fill the parking lot. Perhaps K9 Condor could have been in for a check-up. Hospital officials took to Facebook to let folks know everyone is okay.
“Everyone’s fine. No pets in the building who would get scared or anything like that,” Eirschele said.
