Overview
- Trooper Bradley Ritger, 29, was fatally injured after falling from an I-94 bridge while deploying a tire deflation device during a high-speed pursuit that began on Sept. 21 and he died on Oct. 2.
- A public visitation and a funeral in Chippewa Falls drew thousands of officers from across the country who left memorials and the state ordered flags at half-staff.
- Authorities have charged Martell Tolbert Mitchell with attempting to flee an officer, recklessly endangering safety, and drug counts in connection with the chase.
- The Wisconsin Troopers Association has raised more than $50,000 for Ritger’s wife and two daughters and Wisconsin Concerns of Police Survivors is providing long-term family support.
- State and local agencies, including the Wisconsin DOJ Division of Criminal Investigation and the Dunn County Sheriff’s Office, are conducting criminal and administrative reviews that center on the hazards of deploying spike strips on bridges and could affect future pursuit policies.