A 45-year-old Fort McCoy man was arrested after fleeing from a deputy following an attempted traffic stop.
On Sunday, a Marion County Sheriff’s Office deputy was patrolling the area near the Circle K at 14780 N Highway 315 in Fort McCoy when a pickup truck was spotted in the parking lot.
The deputy recognized the truck from a previous encounter, and the deputy knew that the truck’s owner, Steven Michael Estella, did not have a valid driver’s license.
A computer check revealed that the truck’s registration had been expired for over six months and Estella’s driver’s license was suspended.
The deputy observed Estella approach the truck, get inside, and drive away from the gas station. As the deputy followed, Estella accelerated north onto Highway 315.
A traffic stop was attempted at the 17500 block of NE Highway 315 but Estella continued north at a high rate of speed.
According to the MCSO report, the deputy followed Estella northbound on Highway 315, eastbound on NE 223rd Lane, and then southbound on NE 117th Avenue until he came to a stop in front of a residence on NE 117th Avenue.
Estella exited the truck, ignored the deputy’s commands to stop, and hopped a fence onto the property.
Another MCSO deputy arrived on scene, and Estella ran onto the porch of the residence. One of the deputies scaled the fence, ran after Estella, and caught up with him on a second story deck that was along the south side of the residence.
Once apprehended, Estella stated that he panicked once he saw the patrol car’s lights and he was trying to make it home safely.
Estella was arrested and transported to Marion County Jail where he is currently being held on $15,000 bond. He is facing felony charges for fleeing and eluding an officer and driving with a suspended license.
A court date has been scheduled at 9 a.m. on January 11, 2022, according to jail records.