Authorities: Man leads local deputies on high-speed chase with stolen vehicle

Dan Holtz, The Leader-Telegram, Eau Claire, Wis.
·2 min read

May 8—EAU CLAIRE — A Minneapolis man led local deputies on a high-speed chase with a stolen vehicle, authorities say.

At one point, authorities said, the man was driving on four rims and struck and damaged a Dunn County Sheriff's squad car.

Pierre D. Bowdry, 28, was charged recently in Eau Claire County Court with felony counts of eluding an officer and operating a vehicle without the owner's consent, and a misdemeanor count of second-offense operating under the influence.

A $2,500 cash bail was set for Bowdry, which requires him to maintain absolute sobriety.

Bowdry returns to court June 15.

According to the criminal complaint:

Eau Claire County deputies were called at 10:52 p.m. Wednesday to the Holiday gas station on Truax Lane in the town of Union on a report of two men passed out in the front seat of a car.

A deputy arrived to see the driver passed out with a needle in his left wrist.

The deputy knocked on the passenger window. The male passenger looked at the deputy, did not cooperate, and rolled up the window that had been open a few inches.

The driver, later identified as Bowdry, then woke up and immediately put the vehicle into drive and sped off.

Two deputies immediately got into their squad cars, activated their emergency lights and sirens, and followed the vehicle.

Bowdry went north on Truax Lane, ran a red traffic light and eventually got on the westbound lanes of Interstate 94, where he reached speeds of up to 100 mph.

Bowdry passed vehicles on the interstate at speeds of 90 mph. Dunn County deputies and state troopers utilized stop sticks in Dunn County, which successfully hit all four tires on Bowdry's vehicle.

Tire debris was shredding off the car, which was eventually traveling on four rims. Bowdry's vehicle came to stop after authorities set up a moving road block.

When authorities gave commands to Bowdry, he began to drive again and struck a Dunn County squad car, causing heavy damage to the passenger side of the squad car.

Deputies were able to stop Bowdry's vehicle from entering traffic.

Bowdry got out of the vehicle and ran westbound. Deputies were able to catch him and take him into custody.

Authorities learned the vehicle Bowdry was driving was reported stolen out of St. Paul, Minn. It was also involved in a fleeing pursuit earlier that evening in Hudson.

If convicted of the felony charges, Bowdry could be sentenced to up to three years in prison.