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Driver charged with fleeing officer

Kraig Knaup, 22, Clintonville, is charged with fleeing an officer, drunken driving, unsafe lane deviation, operating left of the center line and having a blood-alcohol level above 0.15.

At about 2:45 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 25, Waupaca County Sheriff’s Deputy Matthew Whitaker was northbound on U.S. Highway 45 south of Clintonville when he observed a vehicle ahead of him swerve onto the median in front of Fleet Farm. When the vehicle passed the median, it began swerving inside its own lane, then crossed the centerline.

Whitaker activated his emergency lights to make a traffic stop. However, the vehicle continued north toward the city and Whitaker activated his siren.

According to the criminal complaint, the vehicle then crossed four lanes of traffic, struck a snowbank on the west side of the road, then returned to the northbound lane.

The car then continued into the city and came to a gradual stop in the middle of the northbound and east turn lanes on Main Street just past a stoplight.

When Whitaker approached the vehicle, he found the engine still running and the driver, identified as Knaup, slumped over the steering wheel. He tapped on the window, but the driver did not respond, the complaint says. The deputy then pounded on the window to get the driver’s attention.

Knaup rolled down the window and Whitaker reached inside and removed the keys from the ignition.

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