U.S. News
Golfers Trap Carjacking Fugitive In On-Course Porta‑Potty
By CM Chaney · November 23, 2023
In brief…
- Stolen SUV crashed after police pursuit, 4 suspects fled on foot
- Witnesses saw one suspect hide in portable toilet on golf course
- One golfer tipped over the toilet, trapping suspect inside
- Police rolled it upright to arrest trapped suspect
- Two other suspects still at large after bizarre incident
An eventful scene erupted in Glendale, Wisconsin on Wednesday when a stolen SUV being pursued by police crashed into multiple vehicles before its four occupants fled on foot across a golf course.
The dramatic incident left behind damaged cars, bewildered witnesses, and two suspects under arrest - including one who attempted to hide in a portable toilet.
The chaos began around 11:30am when a Glendale police officer spotted a SUV that had been reported stolen from Plymouth, Minnesota.
As the officer started to approach the vehicle, the driver suddenly took off at high speed. Further down the road, tire deflation devices were unsuccessful in stopping the SUV as it swerved to avoid them, crossed into oncoming traffic, and plowed across the median into the Interstate 43 barrier.
All four occupants immediately abandoned the crashed vehicle. Two suspects ran east across the adjacent Lincoln Park Golf Course while the other two fled west. One eastbound suspect was quickly apprehended by Glendale police, but the other three remained at large.
It was at this point that witnesses Ilissa Boland and Adam Westermayer, two neighbors playing golf, watched one desperate suspect make a beeline directly for a portable toilet beside the course.
“We’re looking at each other like, ‘Are you serious? That’s where he’s gonna hide?’” remarked an astonished Boland.
After finding the door locked, Westermayer pushed over the entire unit, trapping the suspect inside. Police soon arrived to roll it back upright and take the unconventionally self-incarcerated fugitive into custody.
Meanwhile, authorities continue searching for the other two individuals who ran from the stolen and crashed vehicle. The dramatic pursuit left behind damaged cars and plenty of stunned witnesses, while demonstrating the unexpected places police sometimes must look when suspects try to elude capture.