Monona‘s finest get after the bad guys!
Call us old fashioned (“You’re old fashioned”) but it burns our biscuits when the bad guys get away with major mischief and the police won’t give chase. Or start shooting, for that matter.
Even Blaska might be reluctant to put pedal to the metal through a kiddie parade but our beloved Madison WI puts the tire boot on police chases. MPD allows squad car pursuit only when there’s probable cause to believe the driver has committed or is about to commit a violent felony.
Our neighbors in Monona have no such qualms. Back in January 2024, the Monona city council resumed allowing officers to chase down fugitives who won’t stop when told. Is that so unreasonable? Might the suspect vehicle peeling away from the red & blue strobing lights be transporting a human trafficking victim? A Texas Democrat fleeing gerrymander?
What began as shoplifting — hardly Madison’s “violent felony” — ultimately took two criminal justice-system frequent fliers off the streets. The MOPD report:
CASE NUMBER: MO25-07995
On August 9, 2025 at 8:03 pm Monona [police] officers were assigned to a theft complaint from a retail establishment in Monona. …
While searching the area, an officer observed the vehicle at a gas station nearby. The vehicle fled from the officer after a traffic stop was initiated. The vehicle traveled onto eastbound US 12 towards Interstate 90. The suspect engaged MOPD in a vehicle pursuit. The conditions were favorable for the officer to continue attempts to safely stop and apprehend the occupants.
The vehicle traveled onto Interstate 90, eventually exiting onto eastbound Interstate 94. Conditions remained favorable with very limited traffic on the road. The vehicle exited onto Hwy N in Cottage Grove before heading towards Hwy TT. The suspect then began to travel along Hwy TT. MOPD was joined by assisting agencies, who deployed tire deflation devices along the path of the fleeing vehicle. One of the deployments was successful …
While the suspect vehicle was traveling at 10-15 mph, … the occupants leapt from the vehicle. The driver began to flee on foot with the vehicle still in drive. The suspect passenger, in jumping from the car also, caught a portion of the vehicle as it rolled in motion. The passenger was temporarily dragged by the vehicle, which at one point even ran over them as it continued to travel driverless. After freeing himself from underneath the vehicle, the suspect got up and immediately began to run away from the officers. He was captured after a short foot pursuit. The driver, having no care for his partner in crime, continued to run in the opposite direction. He too was captured. ……
During the incident, an officer was also injured during the foot chase. They were treated and released at a local ER …
• Arrested Driver: Markell S. Young, 26, Madison
Mr. Young was arrested on an outstanding probation and parole warrant. He was listed as an absconder from WI DOC. MOPD is referring charges for felony eluding, resisting/obstructing, and retail theft among other potential offenses. Mr. Young was supposed to be serving a sentence in the community for multiple felony and misdemeanor convictions … [including] possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. …
• Arrested Passenger: Quentrell T. Glenn, 34, Madison
MOPD will be referring charges for felony obstructing/resisting (soft tissue injury to officer) and retail theft. Mr. Glenn has a criminal conviction history that includes felony … stolen car, battery by prisoner, and resisting/obstructing. …
We love Monona Police Chief Brian Chaney’s conclusion, not often found in other jurisdictions’ timidly worded incident reports:
Mr. Young and Mr. Glenn continue to make ridiculously poor decisions. Both on and off probation; in and out of custody. I am very thankful that our officer is expected to recover. Despite the painful injury, they stayed 100% on task and helped safely take the suspect into custody. — Chief Chaney
Blaska’s Bottom Line: Want to reduce high-speed police chases? Quit releasing convicted criminals “in the community to serve their sentences.”
20 responses to “More police should give chase”
Aaaah… the Numbnuts to Prison pipeline.
Same in other dim run cities. Monster revolving door, no cash bail, no punishment for teens stealing cars. Robbery, unbelievable. But, thats what the dems do trying to hook that voter
We just need more social workers to find the root cause of crime like Mayor Sunbeam has done in Madison.
There are no absconders on stolen land.
Broken windows theory is unknown to the elites that run madison.
I will only continue to get worse.
How did you become privy to all this police info? du process? A lawyer could argue this would taint a jury if this comes to a trial.
All one has to do is read the police press release that David attached to this article. It gives you all the information you need.
Leave it to Lesiak (a new sitcom) to take the side of dysfunction.
Just asked a question. Dysfunction? Like in Austin today where three people were shot to death in a store parking lot by a middle aged white guy? Send in the National guard, park rangers, FBI, Cia, ICE. That place is out of control with crime.
The murder rate in Washington D.C. ranks either 4th or 5th nationally among large cities. But Leave it to Lesiak (with Jerry Mathers as the Beaver) to resort to a “Look Over Here!” dodge.
murders in DC in ’24 187. murders in Houston Tx in ’24 322. When is Dementia Don going to take over their police Dept?
Also, Houston is not the capital of the United States. Not even the capital of Texas. Also, Trump has no authority to take over Houston whereas the D.C.is owned by the federal government.
The real question is why does Lesiak defend the indefensible?
Houston has over three times the population of DC.
I served on a City of Madison committee with Chief Brian Chaney when he was a police captain with the Madison PD before he became the Chief of police in Monona. He is smart, professional, patient, and a stand-up guy. Monona is lucky to have him.
Too bad K9 Jakob didn’t get a chance to take a bite out of crime on these perps. Keep up the good work MOPD
I’m happy that “Christine” got a few licks in. Likely the only adverse effects that will come out of it.
I wonder when–or if–we’ll see the end of the lingering toxic effects (e.g., the suspension of police chases) of Covid–or more specifically the shutdowns thereof. Thanks to the pandemic and the over-reaction to the death of a career thug in Minneapolis, the country lost its collective mind and still hasn’t fully recovered.
Too true but try that in a small town.
Just remember. It’s not just the police but you need DA’s to prosecute and Judge’s to punish criminals. It seems in Dane county if someone isn’t killed the punishment is very light even for repeat offenders.
“Thou shalt not kill” is the only command the lefties care about