Marathon County, WI (WSAU)- The Marathon County Sheriff’s Office received a call last evening at 8:44 PM. The call came from an individual who was driving northbound on US 51 near County Highway WW, in the village of Maine. The caller reported that they and their vehicle were struck down by gunfire.
Following the initial call, more reports came in regarding the incident, and a description of the shooter’s vehicle was obtained. The Lincoln County Sheriff’s office located the suspected vehicle, and the culprit in question, who then failed to comply with deputies’ orders to stop their vehicle. This led to a pursuit that extended back toward Marathon County. The Wausau Police Department deployed tire deflation devices to bring the end to the pursuit but were unsucessful.
The chase ended in the city of Wausau, when a Lincoln County Deputy disabled the suspect’s vehicle by using their own patrol car. The Deputy suffered minor injuries from the crash.
After the pursuit ended, the northbound lane of US Highway 51, where the incident first began, was shut down for approximately 3 hours as authorities facilitated the investigation.
The occupants of the vehicle that had been gunned down, received medical attention from first responders in Lincoln County and were transported to a local hospital for non-life-threatening injuries.
As a result of the incident, the suspect, 41-year-old Bennie Zachariah Green, who resides in Tony Wisconsin, was arrested. His charges include; Attempted Homicide, 1st Degree Recklessly Endangering Safety, Felon in Possession of a Firearm, Operating While Intoxicated (2nd), and a Department of Corrections Warrant. These charges are being forwarded to the Marathon County District Attorney’s Office for consideration. Green is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
The Marathon County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, Wisconsin State Patrol, Wausau Police Department, Wausau Fire Department, and Marathon County District Attorney’s Office.
The investigation is ongoing, and no further details are provided at this time. The incident was isolated and there are no ongoing threats to the community.
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