Overview
- Trooper Bradley “Brad” Ritger, 29, was injured on Sept. 21 when he fell from an I‑94 bridge in Dunn County while placing a tire deflation device and died of his injuries on Oct. 2.
- A public visitation and funeral were held Oct. 10 at Chippewa Valley Bible Church in Chippewa Falls with hundreds to thousands of officers traveling from multiple states to pay respects.
- Authorities have opened both criminal and administrative investigations into the pursuit and the decision to deploy spike strips on a bridge deck, a tactic that officers and safety experts say carries special hazards for on‑foot work on elevated structures.
- A Minnesota woman, Martell Tolbert Mitchell, has been charged in connection with the chase with counts that include attempting to flee an officer and recklessly endangering safety, according to reporting.
- The Wisconsin Troopers Association has raised more than $50,000 for Ritger’s family and survivor groups are providing ongoing bereavement support as his wife and two young daughters begin to adjust to life without him.