On July 29th, 2024, a deputy from the Bayfield County Sheriff's Department was dispatched to the report of a street light that was struck by a vehicle. As the deputy was responding to the scene, he observed a vehicle with front end damage traveling in the wrong lane of traffic and attempted to conduct a traffic stop. Passing Burlaga Road, speed 60 mph. Vehicles currently in the oncoming lane. 2025. What are you guys trying to get set up the city there? >> Red clip plate. Robert 0010. Passing Mackie Road. Speed still 60 mph. 221 34 I'll be setting up bikes at 4 and street by Memorial Park. >> Okay. 104. >> I was trying to stop all traffic that's going northbound to avoid any head-on coming through the detour. 104. We received another call about this. I witnessed that it was a black Impala that did hit the light pole for >> 234 units. I'm slowing down for spikes. Spikes are ready. What? They take the detour yet or no? Looks like I got three three tires hit. Three tires hit. He looks right at me. I'm going about 20 mph. Okay, we're stopping. I really stop. DRIVER, GET OUT OF THE CAR. SHOW US YOUR HANDS. GET INSIDE. GET INSIDE. GO AWAY. GET INSIDE. GET YOUR HANDS UP. GET THEM UP. GET YOUR HANDS UP. GET THEM UP. >> GET THEM UP [screaming] NOW. SHOW US YOUR HANDS. GET YOUR HANDS UP IN THE AIR. LISTEN TO US NOW. KEEP THEM UP. KEEP THEM UP >> WITH YOUR LEFT HAND. OPEN THE OUTSIDE OF THE DOOR. Open the door. HEY, GET OUT OF THE WAY. GET OUT OF THE WAY. GET THE DOOR OPEN [screaming] NOW. OPEN THE DOOR. GET YOUR HANDS UP AND OPEN THE DOOR. HANDS UP. HANDS UP. STEP OUT. STEP OUT. Hands up. HANDS UP AND STEP OUT. GET out of the way. Get up. Get up. GET UP. STAND UP [screaming] NOW. >> Stand up. HANDS UP. WALK TOWARDS us now. Walk towards that deputy right here. Walk to him now. Keep your hands up. You guys got hands? >> Hey, when you guys get hands, listen to them. TURN AROUND. FACE AWAY FROM ME. KEEP your hands where I can see them. >> GET OUT OF THE WAY. >> WALK BACK TOWARD ME. BACKWARDS NOW. There ain't nobody else. >> ALL RIGHT, STOP. KEEP YOUR HANDS WHERE I CAN SEE THEM. DON'T MOVE. STOP. >> Turn around. Face my vehicle. >> Yep. your land. >> Yep. >> Can I skip? >> Sure. Just let you know you got two prosthetic pros prothetic legs. Two prosthetic legs. >> Yeah. All right. >> Yeah. Do you have any tires? >> What is your name? Do you have any ID on you? >> No, not >> Francis. >> Francis. Okay. >> Okay. >> I just told my I ain't got my uh wallet on me for my license either. >> What's up? I don't have my uh welded on me for my license. >> How do you spell Francis? >> F R A N C I S. >> All right, we're going to have a seat in my squad car. Okay. >> Can you kind of help me because >> Absolutely. >> because my my balance balance ain't really good. 735. >> He's going to need help in >> Would you like me up there for anything? >> If I had my hands right, you know, I lift you up. Were you able to pick your foot up? >> I'm going to lift you up. Yep. I'll help you on this side. Okay, swing your butt. Put your foot in there. All right, swing your butt in and watch your head. There you go. >> All right, I'm going to leave you unbuckled for now. Okay. >> Smell. >> You look funny. >> I can't smell. >> You look clammy as hell. >> Did you take it? Do you take medication? >> Yeah. >> Are you think your sugar's low? >> Um, you're not sure? We're going to have an ambulance come and make sure you're okay. Okay. I'm uh if if it was low or high, I I would be able to feel it. >> Yeah. Well, I we don't know why this is happening, though. Why you're driving that way. So, we got to make sure you're okay, too. >> Mhm. Sorry, [clears throat] I got to yell at you, but that's what happens. >> Don't mean to scare you, but >> I'm going to stay by him, chief. >> What do you need to do? Do you want to you can close your door and keep him cool? Watch your elbow, sir. >> And then maybe just kind of want to kind of move in from here. >> Okay. >> Pull up behind you. >> All right. Sounds good to you. >> The the brake and foot pedal are all blocked. What? >> They're like with homemade uh shims. >> Well, he's got two prosthetics. >> Oh, they're both prosthetics. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. So, I don't know. bring us. >> That's homemade. Oh, get out. >> Oh, it's to raise it so we can use his prosthetics. >> Oh, that makes sense. >> This car is before the >> Oh, sure. We can adjust them. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. I think it was you stopped traffic. One of you two stopped traffic going this way. Me. >> I was spiked him. >> So, he didn't go through the details. Not the traffic. Well, it actually the traffic >> some Why are you stopped like a half a block before I spiked? >> Me? >> No, that wasn't me. >> That was me. Okay. Yeah, >> that was nice. >> Yeah. Well, cuz there was >> I was trying >> cuz between me and you, there was cars between us. I got them over and I just stayed in the road to keep people from coming by. >> Yeah. And then Yeah. Exactly. I spun around. Then I just drove in the left lane to keep cuz there was cars still trying to like just get out of the way. I didn't know what he was going to do. >> No, he stopped. >> He just pulled over eventually. How you doing? >> Okay. You too hot, too cold. Francis, how you doing? >> I'm doing good. >> You're doing good. >> Okay. >> All right. >> Ambulance is going to come check you out. You tell them what's going on. What you know, >> like I said, if it was higher though, I would be feel it. >> Okay. Even in oncoming traffic, dude, and then you hit a pole up in Bayfield and knocked it over. Yeah. Coming. There was a car coming up from the ferry on by the ferry way. They they come up that way and didn't even start stop. And so I didn't want to hit the car. So, I was going to try and go around around the hole because that there's that little opening there and I I I didn't make it. >> Okay. But I'm just telling you when I saw you, you were in the other lane of traffic driving in head-on traffic. That's what you were doing. >> Okay. >> Do you remember any of that? >> Yeah. >> Okay. Okay. The ambulance is going to come and uh they're going to ask you some questions. Okay. >> Okay. >> Do you want the door open or shut or you can get some air? >> Uh open. >> You want to open? Okay. I'll shut >> because I get uh hot real easy. >> Okay. Let me go around and Oh, they're here anyway. So, yeah, they're going to come check you out. Okay, Francis. All right. >> Can Can you scratch my nose? >> Which side do you need it? Right here. Yeah. >> Is that good? >> That's good. >> Okay. >> Thanks. >> This is Francis. >> Hey, Francis. What's going on today? >> Did you Did you get a traffic plane or out of >> No, I was just sitting up in Bay View just watching traffic and I get to say, well, there's a telephone or a pole down by Captain Spirits and then I was rogering up to Bayfield. I see this guy coming driving down the wrong side of the road with the sign >> hanging out of his car. >> Yeah. So he just driving on the left side of the highway. >> Oh yeah. Just straight down. >> Passing cars. He was just driving on the left. >> Just driving down the left. There was no car inside. And the whole time we were down here, he was hanging in the oncoming lane. >> It was a perfect deployment. What made him get back in the right lane? >> It's kind of just >> I mean other I mean he would even go into oncoming traffic. Cars would have to pull aside. He'd still go drift over, come back over. >> Don't smell any alcohol on them. pills, but there's nothing in the car unless he's like, let's see his blood sugar. Check his blood sugar. >> Okay, >> that worked out. So, what are you going to do? I don't think he hasn't even has a clue who or what we were doing. >> No, we're just I was He looked right in like just keep on going like you know Francis? >> I do not. Um, is it possible to uncuff him? >> Absolutely. Anything like that, >> Francis says, "Excuse me, reach. I'm going to take you out of some cuffs so they can uh better assess you." Okay. >> Okay. How am I going to go from this? Oh, sorry, Francis. Just bear with me real quick. Okay. I'll get one of them off. There's Bring that around to your front. >> Blood sugar down. >> I did. I got right here for you. >> Say it's a little high, but that's not enough for him to have like a an episode or anything. >> What What happened exactly? >> So, there's reports somebody hit a a light pole or a telephone pole in Bayfield, knocked it over, and then I see him. I'm sitting up in Bay View and he's driving down the run I had on traffic >> and from whole time up by Howell Road all the way to here. He was pretty much driving into oncoming traffic. Uh the spike strips were hitting right over there. So, >> okay. Um any alcohol or anything like that in the vehicle or >> There's no Those are nothing. Nothing in there that we found. >> Okay. I don't smell anything. >> Neither do I. Um lots of medication. Okay. >> Nothing. >> He said he thought he had a silver container. >> There was a small one. It's in like for what is it? >> Residue. Shut the Shut the Hold on. There's nothing in it, but there is some residue. >> White residue in there. >> I got those new test kits. There's >> a new world. Do you have one? >> I do. Yes. >> Is that a >> Yeah. >> Is that one of those kits? >> Oh, yeah. Yeah. Oh, this. >> I've never seen one of these yet. Watch the videos. >> I watch the videos, too. How do you get on that way. You're not going to have much in there else. Well, >> you got something. He's got something on the edge. He's >> shaking her already >> little bit. >> I'm just glad he wasn't, you know, high speed. >> Well, he didn't come to the city at 70. >> No, >> he's not complaining of me. >> It looks like math. I was just curious if you like knew of fire. >> Here, Mike, let me do it. So, it's shaking, buddy. >> Yeah. >> What do you do? Mobile detect. There we go. And then scan the QR. >> Yep. >> Wipe your dirty ass camera. >> Come on, focus. There we go. Move the test post closer to the >> Someone else want to hold it. >> Okay, there we go. Does this match your observation? >> Yes. >> Does that match Positive drug result. Amphetamine. He's high on meth. >> It could be. >> I mean, possibly. >> I mean, I don't know. Doesn't m It doesn't match. >> It doesn't match, but he might be on the way downer side of it. >> He's in possession of it like the crash. >> Well, look what we have. So, we have this. Look, look what we have as a whole. Obviously, we have evidence that something is wrong. He's got he's a possession of meth. He's got in things like that. >> Medical clearance basically not clearance but basically saying that he's not his vitals are good. >> We have driving behavior that he could be impaired and we have evidence to support that. So in theory you do have >> a problem for the eye and we even have show. Yeah. We you know his vitals are good. So you can argue like his vitals >> they still want to take them. So I I guess let him go in the ambulance follow them there. >> Okay. >> Take instruments here. >> All right. You're going to go in the ambulance but the MT's. Okay. But Francis, I'm going to let you know you're under arrest. Okay. >> Okay. >> So, you're going to go with them. I'm going to go to the hospital and um I got to do some paperwork. Okay. So, but yeah, you're going to ride with them because uh we want to make sure that you're all good to go. Okay. >> Hey, no problem. just uh just is a little little much, but >> um >> Yes, ma'am. >> Would you would you hold the pot, please? >> Absolutely. >> Would you come around on the side? He's saying you might be shaky. So, >> all right. >> We don't want you to tumble. All right. >> He tell you he's got prosthetics. >> Okay. He's got prosthetics. >> Yeah, both of these. >> Go ahead and sit down. >> Perfect. >> We'll help you swing your legs over. Go nice and easy. around towards. Yep, there you go. Does that hurt? >> I'll let you guys get loaded up. I'm going to follow you guys to the hospital. Okay. >> Okay. Thank you. >> A blood draw later revealed that Francis had opioids in his system. He was found guilty for vehicle operator fleeing or eluding an officer and operating while impaired. Third offense. Francis was sentenced to 75 days in jail and 12 months of probation. >> So, okay, I'm just going to read this. I give the following statement to Michael Hold. That's me of the Bayfield County Sheriff's Department. I understand that he or she is a law enforcement officer for the Bayfield County Sheriff's Department. No threats or promises have been made to me in regards to this statement. So, you have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in court of law. You have the right to talk to a lawyer and have a lawyer present with you during any questioning. If are Francis, Francis, can you uh just stay awake while I read this to you? I I need you to fully comprehend this. I'm going to start over. Okay. You have the right to remain silent. Are you Are you just trying to get some sleep right now, friend? Okay. Well, I'll come back later. Okay. Okay. >> All right. Thank you. So, so I, that being you, give the following statement to Michael Handel, that's me, of the Bayfield County Sheriff's Department. I understand that he is a law enforcement officer for the Bayfield County Sheriff's Department. No threats or promises have been made to me in regards to this statement. Would you say that I'm not coercing you or promising you anything in any way, Francis? Okay. So, you have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to talk to a lawyer and have a lawyer present with you during any questioning. If you cannot afford to hire a lawyer if you wish, one will be appointed to represent you partially at public expense before or during any question. You have the right to stop this interview at any time. So, do you understand each of these rights that I've read you, Francis? Mhm. Okay. Having these rights in mind, are you willing to talk now? >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Okay. So, that was at 1710. So, Okay. So, Francis, I need you to sit up here real quick. So, I need you to sign your name right here. >> Yep. Sign. Yep. Sign your name on this line right here. Oh, it was already clicked. Nope. One more click. Okay. Now, this says I am. How old are you? Mhm. >> Right here. Right here. This right here. And this and see this dash mark right here. How old are you? Oh, right here. >> Mhm. No. No. Right. Right here. Right where my finger is. Right here. How old are you? 62. And my birth What's your birthday? Right. Right there. >> Mhm. >> No. Right here. right where my finger is. What's your date of birth? Oh, three 112 61. And this says, "I can read and write." Yes or no. All right. And and and then off. All right. What's the highest level of school you completed? What grade? >> 12th. [clears throat] >> 12th. >> 12. I'll write the rest. 12th grade. And what is your address? So, Francis, starting from this morning, just start with your day. Tell me what happened like when you got in the car and just go from there. What do you know? I already said going down going down the road. Um, yeah, I know the hill and there I can see where you can see the fairy lang and all that. And there was one car coming up. I could I I seen him he he was moving pretty good and I was coming down and and he didn't even stop at that he just and it was either him I hit him or I seen this little opening by by the light that that I hit and I thought I'll try to get that opening and apparently I I missed that opening >> and and you hit the light in Bayfield. Okay. Why didn't you stop and like report it in? >> I I [clears throat] I don't know. >> Okay. So, back when you were going down 13, why were you in the oncoming lane driving? >> The car just kept moving up. >> Because Cuz I told you earlier you were in the you were driving in the wrong lane. Why? Why were you doing that? >> The car kept moving over that way. >> The cars kept moving over. >> Yeah. >> But why were you in the wrong lane? You could have been in the other lane right here and just kept going and not going into oncoming traffic. You almost caused a few accidents. >> Yeah. I I couldn't tell you what but I can tell you that the car kept going that way. >> Okay. So, when I had my lights and sirens on, did you see me? >> I didn't see you right away until I started pulling over by it where I where I pulled over. That's my when I seen your seen your legs and I heard you sir. She was really That's the only time. Okay. Did you see the cops in front of you when you got into Washurn with their lights on? Cuz you were going right. You saw them? >> Yeah. >> Okay. Do you have any hearing? Did you have hard hearing? >> No. No hearing impairment. And you didn't hear my I didn't hear or see my lights or sirens? >> No. >> Okay. So, there was a little silver container that was in your pocket. What was that for? That was [clears throat] um that's why I keep my acne pills. >> What What are those pills? >> Uh metformin. >> What is it called? >> Mintformin. >> Mintformin. >> Mintformin. Medformin. >> Metformin. Yeah, >> they're metformin. So if I if I knew I was going to be out and have a dinner somewhere, I have a couple of them in there. So I I could have them for my um for my uh ashine. Yeah. >> Is that spelled M E D F O R M I N? >> Yeah. >> Medformin. Medformin. [clears throat] Are you a user of uh illicit drugs at all? >> No. >> No. Nothing. Because when I tested the powder inside of that stuff, it popped for methamphetamine or amphetamines. That's why I'm asking if metformin is a amphetamine. Is there a reason why you would pop for one of those with my test kit? I just put I just put either two or four four of them in there. >> It was empty, by the way, when when when I found it on you. Okay. >> It was like I only put two or four of them in there at a time. And like I said, [clears throat] if I if I knew I was going to be gone, um, close to dinner time, then I I would put look, see how many I I had have in there, and I always keep two or four in there. It all fine. And then if I if I wasn't at home, I would have it on me, >> but there there was none in there when I found it on you. >> Um, so is there a reason why it would they would field test positive for methamphetamine or a type of amphetamine? >> I never tell you >> any. So, okay. And do you remember much from when you hit the pole to when you >> from when you know I kind of found you in the Bay View area? >> I I remember everything. >> You remember everything? because I remember seeing that opening on the on the right right hand side of the lake and that's I turned the wheel to avoid someone and then you hit the >> and then you hit the light pole. >> Yeah. >> Did it fall over? >> My back facing it laying on the ground. You saw it laying on the ground and then after you went from there you just and then you kept driving toward Washurn. Correct. >> Correct. >> All right. And then cuz like I said when I saw you you were on the other side of the road in the wrong way. I turned on my lights and sirens to stop you because you know it's that's dangerous. You got all these cars pulling off to the side cuz you're when you're in the right lane, the correct lane, cars usually just don't pull off to the side for you, right? So, >> so you were in the wrong lane. Did you So, like what was going through your head then? [clears throat] Like you saw these cars going. Just tell me like what what like what was going on? What you were thinking, Francis? >> I was just praying I wouldn't hit a car. >> Did you realize you were in the wrong lane? >> Yeah. >> You knew you were in the wrong lane? >> Yeah, because I I I saw the car drifting over. It keep drifting over. >> And so why didn't you correct to go into the correct lane on the right side of >> I tried? I tried a few times and just just pushed me over. >> What pushed you over? >> The car was going that way. >> Your car was going there was what was it doing? Explain that. make it ran away. >> But couldn't you just turn and correct it? Because when you finally pulled over in Washurn, you were able to pull off to the right. So why couldn't you just correct and go back to the other lane? >> I don't know. >> So you So did you say you were up for a few days before this? >> No. No. So, what what was uh so what was the past few days before this looking like? Cuz um >> some nights I have a you know a good sleep, some other nights not good. >> Cuz didn't you tell one of the EMTs that you were up for a while? >> Um I said it was that and um they asked me how I how I was sleeping and I told him I said sometime some nights they have a good night not so good. [clears throat] >> So you So you say you weren't up for a few days then right? No. So, is is this kind of like like what happened? You you you went into the poll. Is this like is this like how often do you drive? >> I just drive around the summer. >> Do you often like drive like cuz you know I haven't heard any complaints about you driving on the wrong side of the road before. You know, I've never even heard of you until today. Francis just like just what was going on today with the Poland Bayfield and you know driving on the wrong side of the road for four or five miles and you know I like I said I had my lights and sirens on. I was trying to stop you so you know before you you could cuz you could have hurt somebody real bad you know now you do it. I see. I I I I don't know what made me do it or you know in the first place. I don't know. >> And you say you remember like everything trying to go into the space, >> seeing the thing down, and then you remember being in the wrong side of the lane, but you say you couldn't correct, but you were negotiating turns just fine. And like I said, when you got to Washurn, you pulled over on the right side of the road. This was just all fine cuz all you had to do was just come back over to the right side of the lane. And you know, like I said, my lights and sirens were going and I you know, I just didn't want you to get hurt or anybody else to get hurt. You know, just, you know, can you just elaborate on that a little more, Francis? Like I said, I didn't see or hear I didn't see your lights and I didn't hear your siren. >> And you have you say you'd have no hearing impairment, right? No. No sight impairment either. >> No. >> And then when we got to Washurn, you said you saw the all the other cops in Washurn as well. Yeah. >> All right. [clears throat] >> But if I would have seen your legs, I I I would have fell over right away. Okay. Well, that's um that those are all the questions I have. Okay, Francis. All right. I'm I'm going to let you get back to uh lying down. Okay. Thank you for your time.