Man arrested after driving recklessly, fleeing police

ANTIGO — Members of a construction crew doing road work near Deleglise Street said they were nearly hit by a vehicle that sped through their construction zone Thursday night just after 6 p.m.

The vehicle’s driver, a Bowler man named Steven Walker, was arrested shortly after the incident for several felonies including fleeing an officer, possession of narcotics, and first-degree recklessly endangering safety.

According to the criminal complaint, Antigo Police Officer Levi Barske was on patrol near Gowan Road and 10th Avenue when Walker, for no apparent reason at the time, sped away. Barske pursued him through the construction zone, after which point Walker pulled over and took off on foot. Walker eventually emerged from behind a copse of trees and was arrested, at which time he explained that he had originally decided to speed away from Barske due to a warrant being out for his arrest.

Walker admitted to using fentanyl daily, and said he had taken the drug 20 minutes prior to the incident. Barske also found a schedule II narcotic acetaminophen/oxycodone hydrochloride pill in his vehicle.

Construction workers on Deleglise Street said if they had not moved out of the path of Walker’s vehicle, it would have hit them.