Man Flees Caledonia Police After Almost Striking Police Car

A man, who got caught fleeing police on a motorcycle in Mt. Pleasant, thought he’d try eluding Caledonia’s Police.

Mathew J. Verneville, 23, of Racine, was arrested at 12:31 a.m. Sept. 4 Six Mile Road and Highway 32 for knowingly fleeing an officer, drunk driving, reckless driving, failing to stop for a stop sign, and carrying a concealed weapon.

According to a report by the Caledonia Police Department, Officer Matt Vanucci was stopped at the intersection of Six Mile Road and State Highway 31 when he saw a car going too fast to stop at the stop sign. Verneville, who was driving the car, ran the stop sign and “was within a foot from striking the front” of Vanucci’s car.

Doing a U-turn, Vanucci initiated a traffic stop, but Vernevile didn’t stop, went through a stop light at Six Mile Road and Highway 32, and attempted to turn but almost lost control of the car. Speeding at over 100 mph, Verneville almost crashed into a car stopped at the intersection of Highway 32 and Middle Road when he ran through that red light.

Unable to see Verneville’s car, Vanucci called off the pursuit until a motorist saw Verneville’s car go into northbound traffic on Highway 32.

Sgt. Robert Kittel found Verneville near the driveway of a residence in the 5400 block of Douglas Avenue. Kittel ordered Verneville out of the car by gunpoint. During a search, police found a folding knife in his pocket and a gun in the car.

After police arrested Verneville, he apologized and admitted to almost hitting Vanucci’s car. He told police he had been arrested for fleeing on his motorcycle from the Mt. Pleasant Police.

Verneville was taken into police custody and taken to the Racine County Jail.