Driving Hot Car Recklessly Lands Man in Hot Water, Police Say

The black Lamborghini a Mount Pleasant man drove in Milwaukee last spring may be a hot car, but he's landed in hot water after police say he used it to flee a traffic stop.

Jeffrey Strasser, 40, had his initial appearance last week in Milwaukee County Circuit Court. He is charged with a single felony count of attempting to flee or elude a traffic officer. If convicted, he could face prison time and up to $10,000 in fines. The court can also revoke Strasser's driver's license for six months.

According to the criminal complaint, at around 11 p.m. April 12, an officer spotted Strasser in the 200 block of E. Juneau pull his Lamborghini hard from the curb where he was parked, squealing his tires and accelerating quickly. The officer stated that Strasser was driving without his lights.

Police followed Strasser through several turns in the downtown area, at one point blowing a stop sign at Edison and Knapp, and moving at speeds up to 60 mph in a 30 mph zone. The officer reported he had his lights and siren going, but Strasser did not pull over even after he decreased his speed to 25 mph.

Finally, police say Strasser pulled into a parking lot at Juneau and Water, but refused to exit his vehicle. After a struggle, police removed Strasser from the car and place him in handcuffs.

Officers say it was apparent to them that Strasser was intoxicated, and an intoxicator backed them up. The criminal complaint states the defendant blew a 0.19 blood alcohol content, more than double the legal limit.

Our media partners at FOX 6 News reported at the time that the officer in question was accused of using too much force during the arrest because he is seen on cell phone camera footage striking Strasser twice in the head.

An internal investigation conducted by the Milwaukee Police Department found no wrong-doing on the part of the officer. 

Strasser was given a $1,000 bond and will next appear in court for this charge in February. He was cited for operating while intoxicated, but court records do not indicate whether or not that case has been resolved.