A man wanted in connection to a crime in Wisconsin was tracked down in Minnesota following a chase that involved Wright County deputies — and he is now being held on $100,000 bail.
Robert Chilcote was taken into custody following a 16-minute pursuit that spanned 17 miles and involved 10 deputies, according to WBAY. After Chilcote, 29, was stopped by authorities, they searched his car and found an AR-15 rifle with an inserted magazine on the front passenger seat.
Chilcote was wanted by authorities in connection to the disappearance of 24-year-old Gabriella Cartagena. Her family members believe that Chilcote was the last person to see her at Red Arrow Park in Marinette, Wisconsin, on February 4.
While he is a person of interest in the case, Chilcote has not been formally charged in connection to Cartagena’s disappearance.
The police chase involving Chilcote began on February 5 when the Wright County Sheriff’s Office was notified about a person who was wanted in connection with an aggravated assault and possible homicide, according to WBAY. The man was said to be driving a red Toyota Prius and it was believed he had a firearm in the vehicle.
Once a deputy located the Prius, he initiated a traffic stop using emergency lights. However, Chilcote failed to comply with orders to get out of the vehicle during a high-risk stop and he drove away.
Chilcote drove over 100 mph and ignored traffic signals and stop signs as he tried to get away from police, according to a probable cause statement viewed by the outlet.
Deputies eventually set up stop sticks and Chilcote got stuck, which allowed police to get to him and he was taken into custody.
The Wright County Sheriff’s Office confirmed to Us Weekly that Chilcote is currently being held in police custody for fleeing an officer in a motor vehicle and for being a fugitive from justice from another state.
The Marinette Police Department did not immediately respond to Us Weekly’s request for comment regarding Chilcote’s alleged involvement in Cartagena’s disappearance.
The search for Cartagena has continued after Chilcote was taken into custody, and Police Chief Jon LaCombe told FOX 11 that they did an “expanded search” for her on Sunday, February 8.
“We are continuing to follow up on all leads and are attempting to obtain any camera footage which may assist us in our investigation,” he said. “At this point I have no other information to provide, and we are still attempting to locate the whereabouts of the female.”
Meanwhile, several members of the community have been involved in the search for Cartagena.
“It’s like time stands still because you just want answers and you want to find your loved one and you wanna know where they are if they’re OK or what happened,” Trysha Kehoe told WBAY. “There’s so many questions, and you’re just looking for answers.”
Cartagena stands at 5’6” tall and weighs approximately 129 pounds. She has brown hair that is about shoulder length. Additionally, police said that she was last seen wearing black joggers, tan slippers, a black robe and possibly a black jacket.
The investigation into her disappearance remains ongoing. Police are asking that anyone with information call the Marinette Police at (715) 732-5200 or your local law enforcement agency.
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