Iron Mountain man accused in car chase in two counties
An Iron Mountain man accused of leading police on a high-speed chase that spanned two counties has pleaded not guilty in Florence and Dickinson county circuit courts.
Lucas Basso, 28, waived his preliminary hearing Tuesday in Florence County Circuit Court and pleaded not guilty to the attempted fleeing or eluding of an officer, a felony punishable by up to three years and six months in prison.
According to the criminal complaint, deputies with the Florence County Sheriff’s Office attempted to stop Basso on Feb. 2 for speeding near the intersection of County Highway NN and U.S. 2 in Florence, Wis.
When deputies turned onto U.S. 2 to pursue Basso, he reportedly turned at In Com Drive and failed to stop at the intersection of In Com and Montgomery Lake Road.
Basso pulled over to the shoulder of the road and stopped after deputies activated their overhead lights, the complaint stated. But he took off again north on Forward Drive before coming to a stop near a manufacturing company, where an unknown female passenger got out of the vehicle, according to the complaint.
Basso reportedly drove through the manufacturer’s parking lot and turned south. Deputies followed as he failed to stop at another intersection, turned back onto U.S. 2, passed a squad car in a no passing zone and reached speeds as high as 85 mph, the complaint stated.
When Dickinson County deputies set out stop sticks at the state line near the M-95 junction, Basso crossed the center line in an attempt to avoid them, sideswiping a Dickinson County squad vehicle.
The pursuit continued into Iron Mountain at about 40 mph after the stop sticks deflated the right-side tires on Basso’s vehicle, the complaint stated.
Basso stopped on Fifth Street and barricaded himself in a two-story apartment building. He claimed to have a gun and a child in the apartment and told police he would kill the child if they attempted to enter, the complaint stated.
It was later discovered Basso was alone in the apartment, the complaint stated. The Dickinson County Critical Incident Response Team was able to enter the residence and arrest Basso.
A pre-trial conference is set for April 20. Bond is set at $1,000 cash.
Basso also faces charges in Dickinson County. He pleaded not guilty Tuesday in Dickinson County Circuit Court to fleeing a police officer in the third degree, a felony punishable by up to five years in prison; false report of a felony, a four-year penalty; assaulting, resisting or obstructing a police officer, a two-year felony; and operating while intoxicated, second offense, a misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in jail.
Basso is charged in Dickinson County as a four-time habitual offender and could serve up to life in prison if convicted.
A pre-trial conference is set for April 19. Bond is $10,000 cash or surety.