Rock County Sheriff's Office

  News Release

On March 10, 2010, the Rock County Sheriff’s Office was advised that Dane County deputies were in pursuit of a blue Chevrolet Lumina that was eastbound on I90 at mile marker 154.  They advised that the operator was a suspect in a “kidnapping by knifepoint” case in their county.  Dane County requested that our agency deploy stop sticks in the area of I90 and US 14 in an attempt to stop the vehicle. 

Based on the information that was provided, the Rock County Sheriff’s Office set up to deploy stop sticks on I90 just south of US 14.  In addition, the State Patrol got into position to deploy stop sticks just north of US 14.  A short while later, the suspect vehicle arrived at that location and stop sticks were successfully deployed, immediately deflating the front driver’s tire and damaging the driver’s rear tire.  When the suspect, later identified as Eldon G. Weinda (M/B, DOB:08-22-76) approached the second stop stick location, he veered across the median and into oncoming traffic in order to avoid the stop sticks. 

Weinda crossed the median again after passing the stop sticks and continued eastbound on I90 as speeds of approximately 55-60 miles per hour.  Several jurisdictions assisted with the pursuit and attempted to set up stop sticks as the pursuit continued through Rock County, including Dane County Sheriff’s Office, the Wisconsin State Patrol, Janesville Police Department, Beloit Police Department and the Town of Turtle Police Department 

At the intersection of I90 and CTH S, Weinda again crossed the median and went up the westbound I90 on-ramp against traffic.  He then re-entered I90 eastbound using the eastbound on-ramp.  At that location, a Rock County Sheriff’s Office squad attempted to block the roadway and Weinda steered toward the squad in a highly reckless manner.  Weinda was able to get around the squad car at that point and continued eastbound on I90. 

Approximately one mile later, officers from Beloit PD were in a position to deploy stop sticks across the entire interstate and Weinda again chose to cross the median into on-coming traffic.  This time, as he attempted to cross back to eastbound I90, he struck a depression filled with water and his vehicle became disabled.  Weinda was taken into custody at gunpoint and the female kidnapping victim was rescued from the vehicle. 

Weinda faces several felony traffic charges for his actions within Rock County, as well as several charges in McFarland and Dane County as a result of the initial incident and actions taken in those jurisdictions.