Name of man who allegedly led three-county car chase released
Mark Alan Smith, 50, of La Crosse, led law enforcement officers on a three-county chase before he was finally roadblocked by policemen south of De Soto. (Vernon County Sheriff’s Department photos)
The name of the man arrested following a three-county car chase Sunday has been released by area law enforcement.
According to Vernon County Sheriff John Spears, Mark Alan Smith, 50, of La Crosse, was booked into the La Crosse County Jail but will also face additional charges in Vernon and Crawford Counties.
The chase began following a call to a home on State Street in La Crosse. Smith, the driver and lone occupant of a black Ford Expedition, told law enforcement he was suicidal and repeatedly told officers “I want to kill myself.”
The pursuit, mainly on State Highway 35, entered Vernon County and eventually Crawford County, before it ended with Smith’s arrest just south of De Soto. Pursuing officers from all three counties, reported speeds of 70 to 80 mph. Allamakee County, Iowa, was also notified of the pursuit, in case Smith had attempted to enter Iowa.
The chase finally ended when Sheriff Spears and Sgt. Kenneth Frye, deputies from Vernon County, Crawford County and a Lansing officer set up for a roadblock. Frye and Spears were able to control the suspect vehicle to the side of the road, ending the pursuit.
No one was injured in the pursuit, which ran for over 33 miles once the pursuit entered Vernon County. Sheriff Spears praised the deputies and officers involved for their professionalism and control: “The cooperation and teamwork between Crawford County Sheriff Dale McCullick and his team have been great. [This] was a prime example of working together.”
He also wanted to give special recognition to Vernon County Deputy Tori Hawkins, who dispatched during the entire pursuit.
“Deputy Hawkins was cool and calm under a lot of pressure. She had to receive, relay and coordinate information from four counties, often at the same time. She was a big part of protecting the public, the officers and the suspect and bringing this to a safe conclusion”
Spears emphasized that the suspect will be facing several charges as a result of his poor decisions and putting people’s lives in danger.
