Minnesota-Wisconsin high-speed chase suspects leap from moving car

MENOMONIE, Wis. (KMSP) - A high-speed chase on Interstate 94 started in Minnesota in response to a felony retail theft report, then entered Wisconsin, where the driver and passenger jumped out of the moving car after stop sticks were deployed.

Just before 8 p.m. Monday, the Dunn County Sheriff’s Office was notified by the Wisconsin State Patrol of a chase on I-94 that had started in Minnesota and crossed over into Wisconsin, with the suspect vehicle exiting in Menomonie, at which point the pursuit was discontinued.

The vehicle was later seen operating without headlights and ran a stop sign at a high rate of speed in front of a deputy. The deputy started a second chase that ended when stop sticks were deployed on Highway 25 south of 850th Avenue in the town of Wheeler.

The stop sticks deflated both drivers’ side tires, but while the car was still moving, the driver and passenger jumped out of the vehicle and fled on foot. The passenger was arrested after a short foot pursuit and then was transported to Mayo-Menomonie for injuries sustained in the jump. She was later transported to the Dunn County Jail and is being held on a probation warrant, with additional charges pending.  

The driver was identified as Cody Forbes, 29, of Neenah, Wisconsin. Dunn County deputies, K9 units and Wisconsin troopers chased Forbes on foot. During the pursuit,  911 operators started receiving several calls from the North Menomonie area that a man was going door-to-door asking for a ride. Menomonie police responded to the area and the man fled. The area was searched, but Forbes has not been found.

Menomonie police later took a report of a stolen car in the northern end of the city. This was close to the area where Forbes was last seen and it is believed the two incidents are related.  The stolen car is a black 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited with Wisconsin plate HW3271. The Jeep had several hunting stickers on the back along with a sticker of a Husky.