BUCHANAN — An Outagamie County Sheriff’s deputy was nearly struck and his squad was totaled early Tuesday by a suspected drunken driver, authorities say.
According to a news release, Deputy Brent Baxter was stopped on County Highway CE near County Highway N in the Town of Buchanan about 1 a.m. Tuesday trying to remove a deer carcass from the roadway.
Baxter was stopped in the left eastbound lane of the highway and had his emergency lights on.
While preparing to remove the deer, Baxter was paying close attention to approaching traffic and noticed an approaching vehicle was failing to move out of the lane he was stopped in.
The vehicle, a large SUV, did not move over and struck Baxter’s patrol vehicle, according to the news release.
The squad was sent 75 feet down the roadway.
The SUV then careened across the median and nearly struck Baxter as he jumped out of the way.
The SUV went across the westbound lanes and came to rest on the on ramp to westbound CTH CE.
The driver then attempted to flee on foot.
Baxter was able to pursue the subject and took him into custody.
The Fox Valley Metro Police Department responded to assist with investigating this crash.
The driver of the SUV was arrested for suspected 3rd Offense OWI.
