Crime & Safety

High-speed Chase Ends in Crash, Charges for Two Teens

A Menomonee Falls officer was led on a pursuit in January along Appleton Avenue in which the driver reached speeds of nearly 100 miles per hour near Woosencraft Drive.

Two Milwaukee teens are facing charges after leading a Falls police officer on a high-speed chase in a stolen vehicle, which ended in a crash.

Len Lawson, 17, and Terry Nicholson, 18, were each charged in the Waukesha County Circuit Court Monday for their involvement in the alleged crime. Lawson was charged with operating a motor vehicle without owner’s consent, attempting to flee an officer, and receiving stolen property.

Nicholson is charged with operating a motor vehicle without consent, and possession of marijuana.

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According to the criminal complaint:

A Falls officer observed a maroon Chrysler Sebring traveling at roughly 45 to 50 miles per hour north along Appleton Avenue near Elm Lane at 11:22 p.m. Jan. 26. One of the taillights was out, so the officer pursued the vehicle to make a stop.

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When the officer attempted to get behind the vehicle, it accelerated through the Pilgrim Road intersection and turned to head southbound on Appleton Avenue. The officer had checked the license, and the vehicle was listed as stolen through the Milwaukee Police Department. The officer then put his emergency lights on and pursued the vehicle.

Lawson punched the gas pedal and led the officer along the shoulder of Appleton Avenue, and blew threw the intersection of Appleton Avenue and Woosencraft Drive at an estimated speed of 100 miles per hour. The officer said he temporarily lost sight of the vehicle, and discontinued the pursuit.

However, it wasn’t long before the officer discovered where the chase ended.

The officer continued driving south and spotted a large dust cloud on the on-ramp to Highway 41/45.  It appeared Lawson crashed the car through the guardrail, and both men fled from the scene. They left behind a black BB handgun, a ringing cell phone, and a debit card.

At midnight, a resident called police to report two individuals walking down Mill Road a short way from the incident. The officer caught up first to Lawson, who was bleeding from the forehead. Nicholson was later caught, and both men were transported to the hospital and arrested.

The Defendants' Story

Lawson told the officer that he and Nicholson were together at his mother’s house on 7th Street and Capitol Drive. Someone from the neighborhood drove up to them in the Chrysler and to give the teens a ride. The person initially driving the vehicle couldn’t give them a ride, but handed the keys over to Lawson.

However, the car was still running when the key was handed to them.

Lawson and Nicholson headed north to pick up Nicholson’s girlfriend from Taco Bell, and they stopped to purchase candy on 76th Street and Capitol with a stolen credit card. Lawson said when he was in Falls he didn’t know exactly where he was, and the officer pulled him over.

However, Lawson drove off because he didn’t want to get in trouble for driving with only his learner’s permit, but he also knew the vehicle was stolen. When they were being transported, officers found marijuana in Nicholson’s possession. 


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