Arrested Woman Frees Herself To Steal Police Car: Report

WAUWATOSA, WI — Authorities in Wauwatosa say a woman who hadn't slept for days because of her drug use managed to steal a police squad car during her arrest.

Antoinette Martin, 20, of Milwaukee, was eventually arrested a second time and has been charged with disorderly conduct, operating a motor vehicle without the owner's consent and escape. She faces up to six years behind bars if she is convicted.

According to a criminal complaint filed with the Milwaukee County District Attorney's office, police were dispatched to a home on the 6800 block of W. Wisconsin Ave. in Wauwatosa on July 19 on a report of a woman - later identified as Martin - in the backyard causing a disturbance.

Police said that Martin was in the backyard crushing some sort of pill with the head of a screwdriver, and put the crushed pill material into a glass pipe.

According to the criminal complaint, the people who lived at the residence tried getting Martin to leave, but she shouted back at them and threatened to stab them with the end of the screwdriver. One of the residents went back into the house and picked up a baseball bat to defend themselves. Police said at that point, Martin fled the property but not before hitting one of the two residents with a thrown rock.

Police said they were called to the scene, and found Martin just down the block. She was handcuffed behind her back and placed in the back of a Wauwatosa police squad car. As police were questioning another witness, an officer reported hearing a loud "thump" from inside the vehicle.

According to the criminal complaint, when the officer went back to their squad car to see what was happening, their car suddenly and inexplicably drove away with Martin behind the wheel.

Police said they saw the runaway squad speed past them. They immediately pursued their department's vehicle. They located the squad car about seven blocks away at North 62nd Street and W. Wisconsin Ave. however, Martin was nowhere to be found.

According to the criminal complaint, police called out a K9 officer to track Martin. She was eventually found hiding under a deck just down the block, where she was taken into custody.

Police said Martin admitted that she pulled the squad car over and ran from it because she almost hit someone who was riding a motorcycle. She also admitted that she hadn't slept in days from her drug use, and told police she uses cocaine, heroin, and Percocet.

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