EC man gets prison for eluding police after drunken driving
May 26—EAU CLAIRE — An Eau Claire man will spend 18 months in prison for eluding police following a hit-and-run crash while driving drunk.
At the time of the incident, the man was on bond for nine pending criminal cases in two different area counties, police said.
Devon M. Thronson, 29, 3861 North Shore Drive, pleaded no contest this week in Eau Claire County Court to felony counts of fifth-offense drunken driving and eluding an officer.
A felony count of bail jumping and a misdemeanor count of operating after revocation were dismissed but considered at sentencing by Judge Sarah Harless.
Harless ordered Thronson to spend three years on extended supervision following his release from prison.
As conditions of supervision, Thronson must maintain absolute sobriety and undergo an alcohol and drug assessment and any recommended programming or treatment.
Harless revoked Thronson's driver's license for three years and fined him $2,326.
According to the criminal complaint:
Eau Claire police officers were advised of a hit-and-run Feb. 25 at Hastings Way and Brackett Avenue. A witness said a black GMC rear ended another vehicle in a turn lane.
The struck vehicle pulled into the CVS parking lot after being hit. But the driver of the black GMC never stopped to make contact with the driver of the struck vehicle.
The witness said the black GMC then ran a red light at Margaret Street and Brackett Avenue, swerved all over the road and hit a snowbank on the Harding Avenue hill.
The witness followed the black GMC to Water Street and continued to give police dispatchers information on its driver's erratic driving.
The witness said the vehicle stopped in the 400 block of Water Street.
A police officer eventually found the vehicle parked at a gas station on Water Street. The officer pulled up to the black GMC and identified the driver as Thronson.
Thronson denied weaving in traffic or rear-ending another vehicle. The officer noticed Thronson's eyes were glassy and his speech was slurred. Thronson's cognition and understanding of the officer's questions were delayed.
When the officer stepped away from the black GMC for a moment, Thronson put the vehicle in drive and drove around the officer.
The officer got back into his squad car in an attempt to catch Thronson. A second officer was eventually able to stop Thronson again in the 100 block of North Farwell Street.
Thronson was subsequently arrested. He was taken to the Eau Claire Police Department for field sobriety tests, which showed signs of impairment. Thronson was then taken to Mayo Clinic Health System in Eau Claire for a blood draw.
Thronson was previously convicted of drunken driving twice in September 2012 in Eau Claire County, in October 2013 in Trempealeau County and in October 2013 in Chippewa County.
At the time of his arrest on Feb. 25, Thronson was free on bond for nine pending 2020 or 2021 criminal cases in Chippewa and Trempealeau counties. As a condition of the bonds, Thronson was prohibited from committing any new crimes.
