On September 21, 2022, at approximately 6:03pm, Lake Hallie Police Officers received a call that a subject had entered a residence in the 2000 block of County Highway OO, Lake Hallie and the residents did not know who the subject was, and the subject was inside a dark blue Chevy Impala in the driveway.
A few minutes later, a Lake Hallie Police Officer arrived and observed a dark blue Chevy Impala parked in the driveway. The officer exited his vehicle to approach the vehicle then the subject, identified as James Tyler, (age 53) from Eau Claire, backed the Chevy Impala into a marked Lake Hallie Patrol vehicle, hitting the driver’s side front brush guard as well as a small fence.
The officer drew his weapon and began yelling at Tyler to shut the car off as well as hitting the rear passenger window to get Tyler’s attention. Tyler drove forward and stopped before he backed up a second time, backing into a residence. The officer continued to yell at Tyler as he accelerated and drove towards the officer. The vehicle struck a dumpster causing it to roll uncontrollably then the vehicle rammed the Lake Hallie Patrol vehicle a second time, causing extensive damage to the rear passenger side. Tyler continued to drive and struck another fence and then turned eastbound onto County Highway OO. As the vehicle turned onto County Highway OO, other Lake Hallie Police Officers pursued the vehicle a short distance before the vehicle stopped in the 2400 block of County Highway OO. A few minutes later, officers placed Tyler under arrest for various offenses that occurred earlier.
Tyler voluntarily submitted to field sobriety testing and submitted to a preliminary breath test which yielded a result of .189 and was transported to the hospital for a legal blood draw. As a result of the incident, Tyler was arrested for 2nd Degree Reckless Endanger Safety, Fleeing/Eluding – Damage to Property, two counts of Criminal Damage to property, one count of Criminal Trespass to a dwelling, Operating While Intoxicated – 4th Offense, Battery/Threat to Law Enforcement Officer. Tyler was transported to the Chippewa County Jail for processing.
