Michael Loomis, an inmate housed at the Chippewa Valley Correctional Treatment Facility (CVCTF) at 2909 E. Park Avenue in Chippewa Falls was reported as having escaped this past Thursday, April 23. After a brief highway chase eastbound along Highway 29, Loomis slowed to a stop and surrendered to law enforcement without further incident.

It was reported to the Chippewa County Communications Center by staff at CVCTF in Chippewa Falls at 1:14 p.m. on April 23 that Loomis had escaped and was last seen running south and east, away from the detention facility. After reportedly stealing a black Toyota Camry from the parking lot of Stelter Blacktop to aid him in his escape, Loomis drove toward 50th Avenue at 160th Street and began traveling east along State Highway 29. A Chippewa County sheriff’s deputy then observed the Toyota and tried to conduct a traffic stop on it, but the vehicle continued eastbound along Highway 29 and picked up speed. Several other sheriff’s deputies then converged on the area, and the driver of the Toyota slowed and came to a stop just over eight miles from the point of their initial escape, stopping near mile marker 89 outside of Cadott. A “high risk traffic stop” was then conducted on the stopped vehicle, and the driver was then found to be Loomis, who was taken into custody by law enforcement without any further incident. The Toyota was later reported by its owner as having been stolen and picked up on the scene. Loomis was transferred into the custody of the Wisconsin Department of Corrections.

Photo by Joseph Back.