Man in Eau Claire police pursuit that left officer hurt, squad damaged sentenced

Court records show 49-year-old John Martin is ordered to serve a total of four years in prison followed by three years extended supervision.(COURTESY: EAU CLAIRE COUNTY JAIL)
Published: Jun. 28, 2022 at 4:06 PM CDT

EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (WEAU) -A man in an Eau Claire police pursuit that resulted in his arrest, one officer suffering injuries, and a squad car sustaining damage has been sentenced.

Court records show 49-year-old John Martin is ordered to serve a total of four years in prison followed by three years extended supervision.

According to media a release by the Eau Claire Police Department, an ECPD officer was checking the parking lot at the Regency Hotel in Eau Claire when the ECPD officer found a person in a vehicle in which the vehicle was listed as stolen out of Minn.

The media release by the Eau Claire Police Department says when the man in the vehicle saw the ECPD officer, he left the vehicle and attempted to walk away. The man didn’t listen to the officer’s commands, and he tried to enter the hotel. A taser and pepper spray were used, however, had limited effect. The man entered the hotel where he slammed a door on the officer’s arm.

The man authorities identified as Martin then left the hotel and went back into the stolen vehicle. A pursuit then took place southbound on Hastings Way to Highway 93 to I-94. The pursuit ended with Martin ramming the vehicle into a squad car.

According to the criminal complaint, an officer found a “gem baggie with a white crystalline substance inside of it.” The officer recognized the contents as methamphetamine. The criminal complaint says the contents tested positive as methamphetamine.

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