A Lac du Flambeau man arrested after being on the run for four years pleaded no contest to charges that he led police on a drunken high-speed chase, while having an argument with a passenger - a day after he was arrested on a separate drunken driving charge.

Darryl A. Ruwe, 47, remains in custody in the Columbia County Jail on $50,000 cash bail.

Ruwe pleaded no contest at a hearing Thursday to charges of felony second-degree reckless endangerment, felony attempting to flee a traffic officer and misdemeanor drunken driving as a third offense. Misdemeanor charges of resisting an officer, disorderly conduct and operating a motor vehicle with a prohibited alcohol concentration as a third offense were dismissed at the hearing.

He was arrested in Illinois and extradited to Columbia County in August on a warrant issued in 2004 for his arrest after he failed to appear at a hearing. Ruwe was given a $50,000 cash bail on Aug. 21, and has since remained in the Columbia County Jail.

The Wisconsin State Patrol responded to multiple cell phone reports in September 2003 of a domestic disturbance near mile 102 on Interstate 90/94 where a man had pulled to the side of the road and was hitting a female passenger. Witnesses also reported a possible intoxicated driver traveling erratically at high speed who would pull to the shoulder every few miles and strike a female passenger, according to a criminal complaint.

A State Patrol officer caught up with the vehicle, which was reportedly weaving on the inside lane, almost striking the barrier several times, the report stated. The officer attempted to stop the vehicle, which did not stop, the complaint stated.

As the trooper pursued the vehicle, speeds varied from 60 to 90 mph, nearly striking neighboring vehicles, the complaint stated. The trooper could see a female passenger struggling with the male driver, according to the complaint.

The vehicle finally pulled over on the left-hand side of the highway, where the trooper pulled out his gun and ordered the man and woman to get out of the vehicle, but they remained inside, with the female passenger striking the man at one point, the complaint stated.

A second trooper placed road spikes underneath the vehicle as other officers arrived, the complaint stated.

The vehicle sped away, with one tire punctured by the road spikes, but did not stop, according to the complaint.

The trooper used his squad car near mile 124 in Dane County to push the vehicle to stop it; the vehicle spun through a fence and into a cornfield, the complaint stated.

Ruwe, the driver of the vehicle, and his passenger did not get out of the car after troopers ordered them out at gunpoint, the complaint stated.

A trooper pulled the female passenger out of a open window and handcuffed her while she struggled and swore at the troopers, according to the complaint.

When Ruwe did not respond to commands, a Columbia County sheriff's deputy used the butt of his shotgun to break the driver's side window, then opened the door. Ruwe was taken out of the vehicle by a trooper and handcuffed, the complaint stated.

Ruwe reportedly struggled and swore at officers as they escorted him to a squad care, according to the complaint.

The vehicle Ruwe was driving was heavily damaged by fire shortly after Ruwe was taken into custody, the complaint stated.

Ruwe reportedly refused to identify himself or comply with sobriety tests, and continued to swear at officers, the complaint stated. Ruwe underwent a forcible blood draw, which showed his blood-alcohol concentration as 0.254, according to the complaint. The legal limit to drive in Wisconsin is 0.08.

Ruwe had been arrested for drunken driving the day before in Sawyer County, according to the complaint.

Ruwe was convicted of drunken driving in September and October 2003, according to the complaint.

After making an initial appearance in Columbia County Court on Sept. 19, 2003, Ruwe received $2,000 cash bail, which was posted Oct. 1, 2003.

Ruwe stood mute to charges relating to the incident in December 2003 and was ordered to stand trial, but did not appear for a May 2004 trial, according to court records. A warrant for his arrest was filed May 10, 2004.

Ruwe faces 7 1/2 years in prison and a fine of up to $37,000 on the charges.

The passenger was identified as Sandra Taylor, 54, of Hayward. Taylor was charged with misdemeanor resisting an officer and disorderly conduct. A warrant for her arrest was issued in July 2004, after she failed to appear at a motion hearing.

Judge Alan White ordered a presentence investigation into Ruwe, which must be completed before a sentencing date is set.

sgreen@capitalnewspapers.com

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