MONROE — District attorneys in Green and Lafayette Counties have concluded their probe into a multi-state police chase that ended in the death of the teen driver and shots fired by police last Oct. 22. 

The prosecutors opted not to file any additional charges in the case, according to a letter signed jointly by Lafayette County State’s Attorney Jenna Gill and Green County’s Craig Nolen; and released by the Wisconsin Dept. of Justice. What’s more, they cleared the officer who fired shots at the fleeing vehicle — Lafayette County Deputy Brandon Gudgeon — of any wrongdoing.

Their letter also provides a clearer picture of the day’s events, which ended later that afternoon in Green County, when the suspect shot himself to death as police searched for him on foot.

The incident began when the suspect, Milwaukee’s Samuel N. Santiago, 19, fled from Dubuque, Iowa where he reportedly met someone from whom he planned to buy a 2005 BMW. At some point, Santiago took off in the BMW and police gave chase, starting with units in Iowa then on into several Wisconsin counties. The incident was initially reported as an armed robbery so any police units in the car’s vicinity tried to catch Santiago, who was reportedly driving over 100 miles per hour on State Hwy. 151. 

Once in Lafayette County, Gudgeon deployed a spike strip to potentially disable the vehicle near the intersection of State Hwy 81 and State Hwy. 126. Just after 2:35 p.m., the BMW tried to maneuver around the stop strip and at one point was accelerating toward Gudgeon when he drew his duty weapon and fired three shots. 

“Deputy Gudgeon’s assertion that the vehicle was coming towards him were corroborated by his squad car video and a witness video,” the letter states.

It further describes the actual shooting, in which the driver was struck by a bullet, though not fatally, as the chase continued.

“The investigation concluded that three shots were discharged by Deputy Gudgeon, two hitting the front of the vehicle, both recovered from a search of the vehicle, and a third, which the autopsy determined entered Mr. Santiago’s right forearm and was ultimately located in his left outer thigh.”

The wound didn’t stop Santiago, though, and the chase continued, with the driver later fleeing on foot in Green County. As law enforcement was searching for him, a gunshot was reportedly heard and he was found dead near State Hwy 11, west of County M. A 9 mm firearm was recovered at the scene.

“A review of all available records shows that there was no improper use of force in Green County by any members of law enforcement,” the letter concludes.