Fire investigators were on the scene at a Riverview Avenue home on Friday following a fire the night before. (City-Times photo)

By Brandi Makuski

Local law enforcement and fire crews had their work cut out for them on Thursday, responding to a house fire, a high-speed chase and a one-vehicle accident within just a few hours’ time. 

Portage Co. Dispatch received a 911 call at 9:48 PM reporting a single-vehicle crash occurred near mile marker 161 on I-39 when an 18 year-old man from Stevens Point left the roadway and crashed into a tree in a ditch. Portage Co. Sheriff’s Office and Metro Fire responded, along with Johnson Towing. The final emergency left the scene shortly before 11:30 PM. The driver was not injured. According to Chief Deputy Dan Kontos the man will be cited for failure to control a motor vehicle.

At 2:10 AM Friday morning, Deputy Kevin Flick engaged in a high-speed pursuit after the driver of a speeding vehicle refused to pull over. Flick first observed the driver, 28 year-old Corey Boone from Plover, traveling 102 miles per hour on Highway 54 near McCain Foods. The pursuit continued on to Highway F and through the towns of Grant and Plover until finally stopping at 2:14 AM just east of the Town of Hayes. The man resisted arrest and was therefore tazed. A K-9 unit did detect the presence of narcotics in the vehicle but none were recovered.

Kontos said the driver had thrown something from the window of his vehicle prior to stopping, but the item was not recovered by police, and began banging his head inside the squad vehicle after being taken into custody on charges on fleeing an officer, OWI 2nd offense and a probation violation. Boone was on probation for a previous charge of marijuana possession.

“He did get tazed, and they did call EMS for that, but otherwise, no injuries from that chase,” Kontos said.

Metro Fire Crews also responded to a fire on the 400 block of Riverview Avenue. The 911 call came in around 9:30 PM and initially reported smoke inside the kitchen of the home. Upon arrival crews saw smoke coming from both the front and back doors of the home. Fire units reported flames come through the roof by 10:38 PM.

“It started in the crawl space, and that made it a tough fire to get to,” said Interim Fire Chief Bob Finn. “We had to find access to the crawl space, and that made it very difficult. And the air last night was real heavy, real humid, so the smoke wasn’t lifting and it just hung to the ground. The guys took a beating, but they did a great job.”

Finn added there was “substantial damage” to the structure but did not know if the home is a total lose

Stevens Point police also responded and the city streets department was called in to block off the road. Finn said one firefighter was treated and released from Ministry St. Michael’s for heat exhaustion.

The fire was extinguished shortly before 11:30 AM but crews remained on the scene until after 2 AM. Finn said the fire was not suspicious.

The resident, a 76 year-old woman who was home alone, evacuated the home safely and no injuries were reported.