Elkhorn man reportedly on extended supervision following release from prison
A pursuit that began in Waukesha County last week came to an end in Elkhorn when a local man was shot by a Walworth County deputy and died at the scene, according to officials.
The suspect vehicle had been called in as driving recklessly in Waukesha County the evening of Oct. 18. It was located north of Elkhorn but an attempt to stop the vehicle at Highways 12/67 and Potter Road was unsuccessful, leading to a pursuit into Elkhorn. Several attempts were made to stop the vehicle during the pursuit, according to a news release from the Walworth County Sheriff’s Office.
At about 10 p.m., the vehicle reportedly came to a stop on Centralia Street and a deputy exited his marked squad car when the suspect, identified as Sean Dutcher, 38, of Elkhorn, allegedly drove toward the deputy who shot the man, the release states. The deputy has been identified as Peter Wisnefsky, 28, an employee of the Sheriff’s Office since February 2016.
Dutcher was on extended supervision by the state Department of Corrections following his release from prison in May 2017 for a fifth Operating While Intoxicated offense, according to an updated news release received Tuesday afternoon.
After Wisnefsky fired his gun, Dutcher’s vehicle struck the Brogan & Patrick Manufacturing building. Both the suspect vehicle and a Walworth County squad were towed from the scene the following morning.
Per standard practice for an officer involved shooting, Wisnefsky has been placed on administrative duty while the incident is investigated.
Whenever a Deputy Involved Shooting occurs involving Walworth County Sheriff’s Deputies and it results in the fatality of a suspect, multiple independent investigations immediately begin at the scene. Agencies conducting separate investigations include the Department of Justice, Division of Criminal Investigations, and the Medical Examiner’s office. The District Attorney’s office will also be part of the investigation and conduct a legal analysis of the shooting, the release states.
Once the investigations have been concluded, the shooting will be reviewed by the use of force committee, according to the release.
