Janesville squad car involved in chase and crash

By SHELLY BIRKELO ( Contact )   Friday, March 7, 2008
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Photo

Ryan Montcalm

— A police squad car crashed into a fleeing vehicle after chasing it at 60 mph the wrong way on Court Street early today.

The crash caused minor damage to both vehicles, Lt. John Olsen said.

At about 1 a.m., officer Shawn Welte saw a Dodge Neon turn east off Madison Street into the westbound lanes of West Court Street, Olsen said.

When Welte began to pursue the vehicle, the driver accelerated away.

“The officer estimated he was driving at about 60 mph,” Olsen said of the short pursuit.

The officer chased the car east on Court Street, onto Centerway then Academy Street and into an alley in the 400 block of Harding Street, where the fleeing car stopped.

“With the ice, the squad car collided into it and suffered minor damage,” Olsen said.

An estimated $3,000 damage was done to the squad car and another $2,000 to the Dodge, Olsen said.

The driver fled on foot but was caught by officers, Olsen said.

Ryan C. Montcalm, 20, of Janesville, was arrested on charges of drunken driving, fleeing an officer, reckless driving, operating after revocation, underage drinking and resisting.

The Wisconsin State Patrol was called to investigate and found no wrongdoing by the officer, Olsen said.

Montcalm was in custody this morning at the Rock County Jail.







reader COMMENTS (27)
leostime36
Mar 10, 2008 at 9:53 a.m.
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What a punk. I am suprised crazydancer would even want to claim him. He is old enough to know better. At this point he just needs to go into the system...seems like it's right up his alley.

MajorMojo
Mar 9, 2008 at 7:26 p.m.
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no, cincerely, it is much easier to "blame the system". It is always everybody else's fault that these crminals cannot function in society. Those excuses are so typical of these types of people that the police are dealing with.

sincerely
Mar 9, 2008 at 11:03 a.m.
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CrazyDancer0124, shouldn't you, as this man's older sibling, have been one of the first people to jump in line to guide him towards things good and right?

woody
Mar 9, 2008 at 9:34 a.m.
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Ryan is far from being NEW to the court system. People that have a record like him should spend some quality time in a cell with Big Bubba. I applaud the police for catching him. Now lets throw him in with Bubba for a while.

MajorMojo
Mar 9, 2008 at 6:19 a.m.
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Seabee, you are 100% correct on all accounts !

Seabee
Mar 9, 2008 at 12:17 a.m.
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Crazydancer, Cry us a river. Your brother obviously is no rocket scientist. He tried to get away in a NEON! hahaahaha! Boy, he sure looks remorseful too. Blame it all on the cops and the town for not entertaining him....nice, didn't know it was my job to keep all of you delinquents out of trouble.But on the upside, guys like this means less competition for the good jobs.

MajorMojo
Mar 8, 2008 at 8:04 p.m.
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crazydancer, this is soo typical of thugs like this that keep getting defended by people who blame the system. Yeah, he committed a CRIME, and NO, it was NOT because there is nothing to do in Janesville. Your thought process is a joke. Go to school or something productive in your life is always an option if your boared.

mymaro
Mar 8, 2008 at 6:27 p.m.
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crazydancer, your brother is 20 years old NOT 15 or 16. he is an adult not a YOUTH. second, are you serious saying there is nothing for youth to do in Janesville? try growing up in Delavan. Janesville has endless possibilities of LEGAL things to do for young and old people.

WIperson
Mar 8, 2008 at 6:07 p.m.
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so milton is not the only city with stories related to their police department. interesting. personally i think if big deals are going to be made with police departments, you might as well include stories about all departments in the state. i think you will be very surprised at what you will find...

CrazyDancer0124
Mar 8, 2008 at 5:30 p.m.
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Ok, Toasty, isn't that another word for drunk?
I am not making excuses what he did is on him now, but people being Libel and thinking they know is not right.

toasty2k
Mar 8, 2008 at 5:20 p.m.
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CrazyDancer,
So laws shouldn't apply to your brother? Maybe your brother should be more responsible and make smarter decisions. No one put a gun to his head and made him get drunk, drive and flee a police officer. Your brother got a second chance because no one died. Quit making excuses and grow up and start being more responsible.

CrazyDancer0124
Mar 8, 2008 at 5:18 p.m.
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we owe them in the sense to help keep them out of trouble. You want to better this city right? Then help give back to your community and guide the youth toward things good and right. Does JPD think it's work is done because they have the D.A.R.E program. Give me a break.

CrazyDancer0124
Mar 8, 2008 at 5:13 p.m.
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Yeah, is it big deal in that aspect.But, I was hit by a drunk driver my Senior year in High School. Was that mans face all over the paper, or even a story on how that had been his 8th drunk driving. No, there was none. Why don't we have an article on every drunk driver in this town. But when one of "Janesville's Finest" is involved, it is the talk of the town.

wisconsinheat
Mar 8, 2008 at 5:07 p.m.
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CrazyDancer0124
I don't have any first hand information about "seeing the things that the JPD have done to the youth of this city." but as to your other comment, "The youth are not given anything to do in this city," I don't believe that to be true, but even if it were, since when did we start owing kids things to do?
It wasn't that long ago that the responsibility to entertain themselves and stay out of trouble was on the youth themselves. When exactly did that change?

JvilleMomandDad
Mar 8, 2008 at 4:45 p.m.
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First of all, I think that driving drunk is a pretty serious offense, considering he could kill someone. Would it be important to you then?

CrazyDancer0124
Mar 8, 2008 at 4:12 p.m.
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This man is my brother. In the 21 years of living in Janesville and seeing the things that the JPD have done to the youth of this city. It makes me sick. The youth are not given anything to do in this city, unless you are involved with school functions. I have seen the JPD tase,use force when not needed and use racial slurs. And to the person that says that they have been "dealing with this kid for years now" what setting has that been in? At school? At home? Or in jail? You have know idea what a persons life is really like. If peolpe were not so quick to judge and had some sort of caring for people other then themselves. Then this town would be alot better.Why not focus on the rape, murder and gang cases that happen in this town. Instead of sweeping them under the rug to simulate a perfect town.HA. As for no wrongdoing by the WI State Patrol, he looks pretty beat up. Do we have a Rodney King case in Janesville, WI?? You be the judge.

wisconsinheat
Mar 7, 2008 at 10:36 p.m.
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"Montcalm isn't the only "RECAP success story" to get into trouble after graduating the program!!"
.
Or while still in it for that matter.

helly27
Mar 7, 2008 at 8:31 p.m.
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The RECAP program probably considers Montcalm as a success story. As long as Montcalm hasn't committed the same crime that brought him to the RECAP program, they consider him a success. Montcalm isn't the only "RECAP success story" to get into trouble after graduating the program!!

wisconsinheat
Mar 7, 2008 at 6:37 p.m.
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RECAP
"....Is it obvious that it did not work for Montcalm?"
.
Shhhhh, don't tell that to the Sheriff and eveyone else who keeps throwing money into that program.

cmg75
Mar 7, 2008 at 6:04 p.m.
Suggest removal

You can tell by looking at his face, what his attitude is like. He may get off easy this time, but that attitude will eventually land him in prison. Unfortunately he will keep endangering the community until then.

helly27
Mar 7, 2008 at 5:45 p.m.
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Believe me after dealing with this kid for years now, he is definately proud of what he did!! He's one of those kids that will never be able to function in the real world.

mrmeadec
Mar 7, 2008 at 5:24 p.m.
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Dont worry he'll get off easly it's not like he was drunk. Oops he was. lol Also it doesn't say anything about this being his eighth, ninth or tenth time being convicted for drunk driving until then i say he'll walk maybe with probation

dvlwmn13
Mar 7, 2008 at 3:53 p.m.
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montacalm was out because when you are sentenced to jail you can receive good time (1 day off your sentence for every 4 days you are in) and you also get credit for anytime served on that particular case before you are sentenced. he is also a graduate of another of rock countys great programs. RECAP is a program that helps inmates overcome addiction and drinking problems....Is it obvious that it did not work for Montcalm?

tjncj
Mar 7, 2008 at 1:15 p.m.
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Why was he out if he was sentenced to a year in jail last July? Another winner.

cmg75
Mar 7, 2008 at 12:56 p.m.
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He sure does look proud. Why wouldn't he be proud? I am sure he's thinking about how cool his thug friends will think he is for running from the cops. We need to come together as a community, and put pressure on our judicial system to make examples out of people like Mr. Montcalm.

peacegirl
Mar 7, 2008 at 12:35 p.m.
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Looks like he is real proud of what he did! SAD SAD SAD

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