Police Chase, Flipped Car, Foot Chase and a Gun: Greenfield Arrest Made

GREENFIELD, WI — Greenfield police arrested a man who led officers on a police chase, crashed and then flipped a car, then tried running away on foot.

Juan Melenciano has been charged with carrying a concealed weapon, second-degree recklessly endangering safety and fleeing officers.

According to his criminal complaint, on Tuesday, April 18, 2017, at approximately 10:32 a.m., Greenfield police observed a 2004 Chevrolet Impala driven by Melenciano speeding at 56 miles per hour in a 35 mile per hour zone on Forest Home Avenue.

As police began a traffic stop, Melenciano did not pull over. He accelerated away, and turned onto Euclid and then onto 47th Street. The Impala slowed for a stop sign at Oklahoma but did not come to a complete stop. The Impala then turned westbound on to Manitoba and then immediately turned into an alley, the complaint stated.

As police pursued, Melenciano eventually turned right at 47th Street and Oklahoma, where he struck a Toyota Rav 4, causing it to flip on its roof and strike another vehicle. Fearing the Impala was going to continue to flee the scene of the crash, police struck the Impala head on at slow speeds causing it to stop, the complaint stated.

According to police, Melenciano, wearing a long sleeve white shirt, surgical mask and having dreadlocks, exited the vehicle and fled on foot northbound. As officers began checking on the passengers in the Impala, they observed a pistol concealed in the driver’s door compartment - a Glock 17 9mm which had an extend 30 round magazine which was loaded with 26 rounds.

Multiple Greenfield squads arrived in the area and began searching for the driver. Police observed a black male subject wearing a long sleeve white t-shirt who matched the driver's description running near 50th and Dakota, the complaint stated.

According to police, after he was arrested, Melenciano admitted that he was driving the Impala when he saw the squad car right up on him. The defendant stated that he thought “oh [no]" and took off because he was on “paper” (probation for a CCW conviction) and did not have insurance on the vehicle.

He initially denied knowing about the gun in the car but later stated that he found the gun four days ago, police reported.

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