By Shawn Henry 
There are police chases that stay tense but controlled, and then there are the ones where physics suddenly gets involved. This one definitely crossed into the second category.
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A Wisconsin driver fleeing law enforcement ended up launching his vehicle completely airborne during a pursuit that started with a routine traffic stop and ended with a crashed car sitting in a field. Dashcam footage released afterward shows the vehicle hitting an embankment at speed and flying through the air before slamming back to the ground.
And somehow, nobody else on the road got hit.
What Started as a Normal Traffic Stop Escalated Fast
The incident began on the morning of May 9 along Interstate 41 in Fond du Lac County. A Wisconsin State Patrol trooper had stopped the vehicle for what initially appeared to be a standard roadside encounter. But once the driver’s information was checked, the situation changed immediately.
Authorities discovered the driver, identified as 44-year-old Dewayne Stokes of Milwaukee, had an active felony warrant tied to a stolen vehicle case out of Kenosha County. A caution indicator also appeared during the stop, prompting the trooper to request backup from local deputies.
That’s usually the point where things either calm down or get worse.
This one got much worse.
Backup Arrived — Then the Driver Took Off
According to authorities, deputies arrived to assist with the stop just before the driver fled. Instead of staying put, Stokes reportedly accelerated away from the scene, immediately turning a traffic stop into an active pursuit.
The chase covered several miles and moved through multiple areas, including business parking lots, local roads, and stretches of Interstate 41. At one point, deputies briefly lost sight of the vehicle before locating it again near an exit ramp.
Even then, there was a moment where it looked like the driver might surrender.
That didn’t happen either.
The Chase Turned Airborne Near the End
The wildest part of the pursuit came near Winnebago Street, where the fleeing vehicle lost control after leaving the roadway.
According to the sheriff’s office, the car entered a ditch, climbed an embankment, and launched into the air before crashing down in a nearby field. The released footage shows the vehicle catching serious height before slamming back onto the ground hard enough to destroy any illusion that this was going to end cleanly.
It looks more like a stunt sequence than real life.
Except there was nothing controlled about it.
The Crash Still Didn’t End the Pursuit
Even after the airborne crash, the situation still wasn’t over.
Authorities say both the driver and a passenger jumped out of the wrecked vehicle and attempted to flee on foot. Deputies chased them across the area before eventually catching up to Stokes, who was taken into custody after a taser deployment.
He was later transported to a hospital for treatment of minor injuries before being booked into jail.
Considering the way the car landed, “minor injuries” feels almost unbelievable.
The Charges Kept Growing
What started as a warrant stop quickly evolved into something much larger.
Authorities say Stokes is now facing charges including fleeing and eluding law enforcement, recklessly endangering safety, and possession of a firearm by a felon. Investigators also noted that he had already been out on a signature bond tied to the earlier stolen vehicle case connected to the warrant.
That detail is likely to draw attention on its own.
Because once people hear “out on bond” followed by “airborne police chase,” the conversation tends to move beyond just the crash footage.
The Video Is Fueling a Bigger Conversation
The dashcam video spread quickly online because it hits several things at once.
There’s the sheer spectacle of the airborne crash itself, but there’s also the larger frustration people increasingly have with repeat offenders, warrants, and high-speed pursuits that could have gone catastrophically wrong. The footage looks dramatic because it was dramatic.
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And despite all the chaos, it somehow ended without innocent drivers being injured.
That’s probably the luckiest part of the entire story.
The Bottom Line
One decision turned a traffic stop into a multi-agency chase, a destroyed vehicle, and a pile of new felony charges.
The car ended up airborne. The driver ended up tased. And the entire thing ended in a Wisconsin field with dashcam footage that looks almost too reckless to be real.
But it was real enough for everyone stuck behind those flashing lights that morning.
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Image via Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Office
John Lloyd