Incident: Monday, September 21, 2026, on Interstate 94 in Dunn County, Wisconsin. Reported by the Wisconsin Department of Transportation Division of State Patrol the same day, with a condition update released Thursday, September 24.
A Wisconsin State Patrol trooper is in critical condition after falling from an Interstate 94 bridge deck while deploying a tire deflation device during a vehicle pursuit. The State Patrol has not released the nature of the injuries.
The pursuit began when another trooper attempted to stop a vehicle for excessive speed and reckless driving. The State Patrol said the same vehicle had fled an officer earlier that evening.
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The trooper joined the pursuit and deployed a tire deflation device on a bridge deck on I-94 west of the Dunn County–Eau Claire County line at about 4:55 a.m. While moving to take cover, the trooper fell from the bridge deck onto 490th Avenue below.
First responders administered life-saving measures at the scene, including CPR. According to the criminal complaint as reported by WEAU, the trooper had a pulse but labored breathing when officers reached the roadway.
The pursued vehicle struck the deflation device and came to a stop. Officers carried out a high-risk traffic stop and took the driver into custody without further incident.
In an update Thursday, September 24, the State Patrol said the trooper “remains in critical condition,” had shown improvement in the emergency room and the critical care unit, and had undergone “many surgeries as well as a multitude of testing.”
Court records reported Wednesday, September 23, show Martell Nicole Tolbert Mitchell, 47, of Minneapolis, charged in Dunn County with attempting to flee or elude an officer, second-degree recklessly endangering safety, possession with intent to deliver cocaine of more than 5 grams and not more than 15 grams, possession with intent to deliver THC of 200 grams or less, and felony bail jumping. A $70,000 cash bond was set.
The complaint as reported by WEAU puts the pursued vehicle at about 100 mph and the pursuing patrol cruiser at 125 mph.
Investigators have said it is not yet clear whether the trooper was struck by the driver’s vehicle. The State Patrol and the Wisconsin Department of Justice are investigating.
The Wisconsin Troopers Association has established a fundraising campaign for the trooper’s family.
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