A Wisconsin Department of Transportation traffic camera caught a heart-stopping moment on Wednesday afternoon, when a law-enforcement cruiser rolled over during a pursuit on northbound Interstate 43 in Milwaukee. The footage shows a dark-colored SUV weaving through traffic near Locust Street as officers try to pin it down, and at one point a squad car slams into another vehicle and flips near the Keefe Avenue exit. The crash scattered debris, jammed up mid-afternoon traffic and left drivers stuck behind the mess.
As reported by WISN, the video, captured by a WisDOT traffic camera, appears to show officers throwing spike strips toward the dark SUV shortly before the rollover. WISN noted that it was not yet clear which agencies were involved and that emergency crews were still working to determine whether anyone was hurt while traffic lanes remained blocked.
TMJ4 has previously chronicled other scares on this same stretch of I-43 where county squad cars were hit, and local law-enforcement leaders have warned that OWI and reckless-driving calls are making late-night and early-morning shifts increasingly hazardous. That backdrop is adding fuel to ongoing debates about pursuit tactics and officer safety once a chase spills onto busy freeway ramps.
What the footage shows
The WisDOT clip tracks the SUV as it heads toward the Keefe Avenue exit, with officers seen tossing what look like spike strips and then continuing the chase while the vehicle cuts across lanes. At one point, a squad car rear-ends another vehicle and rolls onto its side near the northbound Keefe exit, leaving mangled metal on the roadway and a clear backup stretching behind the crash.
Traffic impact and safety concerns
Crews shut down or slowed traffic on northbound I-43 at Keefe while tow trucks and emergency responders cleared the scene, causing hefty delays for afternoon commuters. Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office inspector Douglas Holton told TMJ4 that “the video provides a whole different level of shock,” and he warned that deputies face mounting dangers when they respond to OWI and reckless-driving calls…