Richard Fleischman, of Superior, WI, was sentenced in Washburn County Circuit Court on December 1st, 2016 for 5th Offense Operating While Under the Influence of an Intoxicant, a Class H Felony, and Fleeing an Officer While Operating a Vehicle, a Class I Felony.
Public record shows that Mr. Fleischman received an imposed and stayed sentence of 3 years of probation with the condition of an initial 330 days in county jail with huber work privileges, to be served either in Washburn or Douglas County. Fleischman's probation requirements include fines of over $2,600, an Alcohol & Drug Assessment, and any other conditions the Wisconsin Department of Corrections may impose. The 'stayed' part of the sentence means that if Fleischman violates his probation he faces a possible total of 3 years confinement in Wisconsin State Prison. Fleischman was also ordered to pay over $5,600 in restitution.
According to documents received by DrydenWire.com via public record request, Fleischman's charges stem from an incident in October of 2015, when a Wisconsin State Patrol Trooper observed a vehicle operating with a headlight out and with the left turn signal activated, even though there were no possible left turns near the vehicle. The Trooper decided to initiate a traffic stop on the vehicle; an SUV pulling a trailer. Although the Trooper activated his emergency lights, the vehicle did not slow down or stop, but instead continued traveling, finally making a left turn onto another road, at a speed too fast to make a safe turn. The vehicle veered into the ditch, striking a GTE telephone junction box before swerving back onto the roadway.
The Trooper continued to pursue the vehicle, as it crossed the center line and veered back and forth across the roadway, striking the shoulder and kicking up gravel, then crossing back over the center line; all while reaching speeds of 75-90 miles per hour at times. The pursuit continued for a total of over 40 miles along mulitiple county roads and state highways with Washburn County Sheriff's Office deputies and Spooner Police Department officers following the pursuit and providing assistance to the Trooper.
Over the course of the pursuit the vehicle knocked over two road signs and damaged the Namekagon Visitor center sign near Trego, WI and also struck a guy wire to a power pole, loosening the wires. Other vehicles were forced to pull over for their safety as the vehicle continued to weave and change lanes erratically.
Ultimately tire deflation devices deployed by Washburn County Sheriff's deputies successfully deflated some of the tires on the vehicle. The driver of the vehicle blew through the stopsign on County Highway H and pulled onto US Highway 53, heading north, driving through a construction zone before ending the pursuit by veering through both northbound lanes, going into the median, vaulting into the air and then crossing both southbound lanes of US Highway 53, finally crashing down the embankment to the US Highway 63 ramp north of Spooner, WI.
Officers were able to safely place the driver of the vehicle under arrest and he was identified as Richard Fleischman. Officer located a nearly empty bottle of vodka in Fleischman's pocket. Officers transported Fleischman to the Shell Lake Hospital for medical care and for a blood draw.
Fleischman was also charged with 2nd Degree Recklessly Endangering Safety, Operating with a Prohibited Blood Alcohol Concentration, and Operating with a Revoked Driver's License. Those charges were dismissed but read-in by the Court for consideration in Fleischman's sentencing.
[Photo: Washburn County Sheriff's Office]
Last Update: Dec 02, 2016 10:56 am CST
