Traffic cameras capture wrong way driver fleeing from police in Elm Grove

A wrong way driver recklessly put people in danger.

Elm Grove Police chased a man down Bluemound Road last month. Miraculously, no one was hurt, but traffic cameras show a lot of close calls.

The Elm Grove Assistant Police Chief, Jason Hennen, just finished getting a car wash there when the manager asked him to help in regards to a man loitering and asking for money, he was in a Chevy Trailblazer parked at pump 5.

The man admitted he had been asking people for money. The person driving the Chevy Trailblazer was identified as 36-year-old Michael Brunker. Assistant Chief Hennen realized Brunker had warrants out for his arrest. When Hennen called another squad, Brunker took off.

When Brunker took off from police he left his passenger at the gas station, but the passenger's girlfriend was left inside in the fleeing vehicle.

Officers on scene radio'd over to Assistant Chief Hennen who was pursuing Brunker.

"We have a person in the backseat too, he just said his girlfriend was sleeping in the backseat."

Hennen soon terminated the chase because it was too dangerous.

"He was probably doing at least 70," said Jessica Hauk. It was about 10 a.m., she was on her way to work, and she saw Brunker driving the wrong way on Bluemound Road near Calhoun.

She says they were separated by a median, but he almost hit multiple other people on the road.

"The guy just went flying up the road, almost went head on with someone who swerved out of the way, went on the right side of the road, went back onto the wrong side of the road. and just kept going," said Hauk.

She decided to call the police, and afterwards she called her boyfriend.

"I said, 'you're not going to believe what I saw. You're not going to believe what just happened. This dude was just nuts!'" said Hauk.

The backseat passenger and the car were eventually left at a school.

Brunker was spotted at a car dealership. Police tracked footprints in the snow and asked him to come out with his hands up.

He surrendered telling them “Okay, I’m coming.”

Police interviewed three people that were nearly hit by Brunker. Brunker faces recklessly endangering safety charges for each person, a total of over 30 years in prison. He’ll be in court February 8th.