BELOIT - The Grand Lighted Holiday Parade in downtown Beloit was briefly interrupted by a police pursuit, as a truck drove on the parade route with Beloit police squad cars close behind.
The driver of the truck, Curtis L. Metz, 38, of Darlington, Wisconsin, faces possible charges of operating while intoxicated (OWI) - fifth offense, fleeing officers, driving while his license was revoked, obstructing an officer and reckless driving, according to a news release posted on the Beloit Police Department Facebook page.
Online court records show Metz was convicted of his fourth OWI and of fleeing police in 2012. An OWI is a felony in Wisconsin upon the fourth offense.
Online records indicate Metz remains in custody at the Winnebago County Jail in Rockford, Illinois awaiting extradition.
A passenger in the truck, Aaron L. Frayer, 52, of Beloit, was arrested on a bench warrant out of Green County. Online court records show Frayer was wanted for bail jumping.
Metz reportedly drove past a police squad car and through a barrier and an officer used his hands to hit the front of the truck to indicate the driver should stop. Metz did not stop and went westbound on Grand Avenue while parade floats and vehicles were going eastbound on Grand Avenue.
Some parade spectators were standing close to the curb and some even were in the street near the curbing when the truck drove past them.
Squad cars drove after Metz at a low speed due to the dangerous circumstances in an attempt to steer the vehicle out of the parade route.
Once he was out of the parade route, officers attempted to use stop sticks to stop the vehicle. The vehicle traveled into South Beloit until it went into a cornfield near Prairie and Rockton roads in Winnebago County, Illinois, where it was stopped between two trees.
No one was injured in the pursuit.