Alleged Wisconsin Car Thieves Lead Troopers on 73 Mile Chase

Three alleged car thieves from Wisconsin led Wyoming Highway Patrol troopers on a 73 mile chase across Natrona and Carbon County Wednesday evening. Trooper Sgt. Steven Townsend says it started with a vehicle stop for speeding on Highway 220 about 36 miles south of Casper.

"Troopers, during the traffic stop, learned from the Wyoming Highway Patrol Dispatcher that the vehicle had been reported stolen out of Sparta, Wisconsin.  As the trooper was waiting for back-up to arrive the driver decided he did not want to wait and took off in the car with the two passengers."  The, reportedly stolen, Ford Focus fled south into Carbon County where troopers were able to successfully spike the road just north of Rawlins, blowing the tires on the vehicle.

"All three of them bailed from the car dashed out into the prairie.  The two passengers were quickly rounded up by troopers and the driver remained at large for approximately 11 and a half hours."

The driver, 18 yr-old, Allan Dejesus, of Wisconsin was spotted at a local fast food restaurant and taken into custody by Carbon County Sheriff, Jerry Colson.

The passengers, both 18-yrs-of-age and also of Wisconsin, Cameron Gast and Justin Martin, along with the driver, are being held in a Carbon County jail and face charges in Wyoming for possession of stolen property,  "all three of them for party to a crime and the driver for alluding, interference with a peace officer, and driving under suspension."

Townsend says he doesn't know if Wisconsin will seek extradition.