Executive Summary
- Deavon M. Fonder faces charges including carjacking and reckless endangering safety following a February 11 incident.
- Police allege Fonder stole his girlfriend’s vehicle and led officers on a 19.5-mile pursuit reaching 117 mph.
- The chase crossed the Wisconsin-Illinois border, involving wrong-way driving and traffic signal violations.
- Law enforcement successfully ended the pursuit on I-94 using spike strips.
- Fonder is being held on a $50,000 cash bond in Kenosha County.
Deavon M. Fonder, 25, of Zion, Illinois, faces multiple felony charges following an alleged carjacking in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin, that escalated into a high-speed pursuit spanning two states on February 11. Authorities state the chase reached speeds of 117 mph and involved reckless driving maneuvers through Kenosha County, Wisconsin, and Lake County, Illinois, before ending with the deployment of tire deflation devices on Interstate 94.
The incident began around 8:02 p.m. when the Pleasant Prairie Police Department responded to a call at the Days Inn by Wyndham on 118th Avenue. According to a criminal complaint probable cause statement, officers encountered a female victim who identified Fonder as her boyfriend. The victim reported that an argument ensued after she woke Fonder up in their hotel room, during which he allegedly yelled profanities and threatened to kill her.
Court documents allege that the confrontation continued in the hotel parking lot, where Fonder kicked the victim’s red Nissan, entered the vehicle, and climbed over the center console into the driver’s seat. A physical struggle reportedly occurred as the victim attempted to retain control of the car. The complaint states that Fonder drove away, forcing the victim to dodge the vehicle to avoid being struck. The stolen vehicle contained the victim’s purse, cash, and iPhone.
Law enforcement utilized the victim’s phone tracking data to locate the vehicle at a gas station near 85th Street and 39th Avenue in Kenosha. When an officer initiated a traffic stop, the vehicle allegedly fled westbound. The criminal complaint details a pursuit where the suspect drove into oncoming lanes of traffic, cut off a police squad car, and disregarded red lights, demonstrating what prosecutors described as an “utter disregard for human life.”
The pursuit crisscrossed the Illinois-Wisconsin border, traversing Green Bay Road, Route 173, and eventually onto Interstate 94. Police reported that the Nissan reached speeds of 117 mph during the 19.5-mile chase. Officers from both the Zion Police Department and Pleasant Prairie Police Department attempted to stop the vehicle. The pursuit concluded on northbound I-94 near 104th Street after spike strips successfully disabled the vehicle. Fonder surrendered and was taken into custody without further incident.
Fonder has been charged with carjacking by use of force, two counts of first-degree reckless endangering safety, fleeing or eluding an officer, battery, disorderly conduct, and possession of controlled substances. Kenosha County Court Commissioner William Michel II set bond at $50,000 cash. Court records indicate Fonder is a convicted felon with a prior 2023 conviction in Lake County for aggravated battery causing great bodily harm.
Procedural Next Steps
The arrest of a suspect involving cross-jurisdictional boundaries often necessitates complex legal coordination between state prosecutors. As Fonder is currently held in the Kenosha County Jail, the immediate focus will remain on the charges filed in Wisconsin. However, the multi-state nature of the pursuit could lead to additional legal scrutiny regarding extradition or concurrent legal proceedings in Illinois, depending on the specific traffic violations and risks posed within Lake County jurisdiction. Fonder is scheduled for a pre-trial hearing on April 15.
It is important to note that all individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
