Wisconsin Woman Charged After 125 mph Chase Leaves State Trooper Seriously Injured

Martell Tolbert Mitchell, 47, fled a traffic stop at speeds exceeding 125 mph on I-94. A trooper who deployed spike strips was found severely injured beneath an overpass.

Trooper Found Injured Below Overpass After 125 mph Chase on I-94

A 47-year-old Wisconsin woman faces multiple felony charges after allegedly leading state troopers on a high-speed chase that left a trooper severely injured, Law & Crime reports.

Martell Tolbert Mitchell was charged with eluding or fleeing an officer in a vehicle and recklessly endangering safety following the incident, which occurred on Monday in Eau Claire County. She also faces charges of possession of cocaine with intent to distribute and possession of THC with intent to distribute.

According to a criminal complaint obtained by local ABC affiliate WQOW, Illinois State Patrol first alerted Wisconsin State Patrol that a driver — later identified as Tolbert Mitchell — had fled a traffic stop in Illinois. When Wisconsin troopers spotted her vehicle in Eau Claire County and attempted their own stop, she allegedly accelerated instead of pulling over.

Troopers clocked Tolbert Mitchell's vehicle at 76 mph in a 60 mph construction zone before she allegedly sped up further. One trooper noted his own speedometer reached 125 mph — and Tolbert Mitchell had already passed him.

Law enforcement closed down I-94. State Patrol Trooper Brad Ritger then deployed spike strips on an overpass. The strips successfully disabled Tolbert Mitchell's vehicle, which came to rest in a ditch, and she was arrested at the scene. Officers found cocaine, THC, packaging materials, and a digital scale in her possession.

Shortly after the arrest, troopers lost contact with Ritger. He was eventually found severely injured on the road below the overpass where he had deployed the spike strips. First responders revived him on the scene before transporting him to a hospital. Police said it remains unknown how Ritger ended up falling from the overpass.

While being taken into custody, Tolbert Mitchell made what the complaint described as unsolicited remarks. According to police, she stated "she did not hit anybody and that if law enforcement was injured, it was not her fault because that was their job."

Tolbert Mitchell was not charged in direct connection with Ritger's injuries. As of Thursday, she did not appear on an inmate roster at the Dunn County Jail. Her next court date is scheduled for September 28.

Source: Law & Crime