Police pursue motorcycle into gravel pit

Lohrentz

Ryan P. Lohrentz, 31, Clintonville, is charged with fleeing an officer.

Shortly after 7:30 p.m. Thursday, June 18, Waupaca County Sheriff’s Deputy Dan Lewinski was on patrol on State Highway 22 in the town of Matteson when he clocked a motorcycle going 79 mph. Lewinski activated his lights and siren and pursued the motorcycle.

According to the criminal complaint, the motorcycle continued to pull away even as Lewinski’s squad car reached speeds of 90-100 mph. The bike then turned right on County Trunk DD and Lewinski lost sight of it.

The officer ended the pursuit near the intersection of County DD and Pella Opening Road. He then saw several women standing outside a house on County DD. They told him they heard the motorcycle turn onto Pella Opening Road.

Lewinski then backtracked and went down Pella Opening Road, where a man at the end of a driveway waved him down and said he saw a motorcycle drive back into the wooded area at the gravel pit.

Lewinski called for assistance and police officers from Marion and Clintonville arrived. A Shawano County K-9 unit also went to the scene to assist with the search.

Shawano County Deputy Craig Rekoske used the speaker system on his squad car to notify the suspect that if he did not come out of the woods, they would release the dog.

The Waupaca County Communicatons Center contacted Lewinsksi and informed him that a man called 911, said he was in the woods and wanted to know why there were so many cops surrounding the area.

The man, identified as Lohrentz, then came out of the woods. He told Lewinski that he did not realize the deputy was trying to pull him over.

A preliminary breath test indicated Lohrentz had a 0.125 blood-alcohol level, the complaint says.

Lohrentz has also been cited for drunken driving, operating a motorcycle without a valid license and speeding.