CHIPPEWA FALLS — A man accused of leading police on a high-speed chase in a stolen vehicle in 1994 and crashing into a squad car, and had an open warrant in Chippewa County for nearly 30 years, has been arrested.
Neng Yang, 47, of St. Paul, Minn., was charged in March 1995 with fleeing or eluding an officer in a motor vehicle. When he failed to show up for court in May 1995, a warrant was issued for Yang’s arrest.
Yang was apprehended Tuesday and is currently incarcerated in an area jail; he is not being held in Chippewa County. He appeared via video in court before Judge James Isaacson, who ordered a $1,000 cash bond, and Isaacson set a return court date for July 16 before Judge Steve Gibbs.
Yang told the court that this is a case of mistaken identity, both now and 30 years ago. Also, the officer who arrested Yang is now deceased. However, Chippewa County Assistant District Attorney Karl Kelz said officers will compare the fingerprints collected in 1994 to what was taken this week. Kelz wasn’t sure of the details of how Yang was arrested.
According to the criminal complaint, Chippewa Falls Police Officer Michael Farley observed a vehicle speed away from a gas station on July 11, 1994, and believed the driver was fleeing without paying for fuel.
The vehicle sped from downtown Chippewa Falls and across the Highway 124 Bridge and also passed both another Chippewa Falls officer as well as a Hallie officer.
“The speed of the fleeing vehicle had reached 75 mph in a posted 45 and 55 area of Highway 124,” the complaint reads.
The vehicle got on U.S. 53 and headed north to Bloomer, where he passed a Chippewa County squad and a Bloomer police officer.
“As the vehicle started to enter the town of Bloomer, Officer Farley was able to drive beside and slightly ahead of the vehicle and attempted to force the vehicle to stop,” the complaint reads. “The fleeing vehicle struck Officer Farley’s squad car twice, and the impact caused it down an embankment, where it came to a stop.”
Six officers from multiple agencies were able to take the occupants of the vehicle into custody.
The driver identified himself as Yang, who told police “he had fled due to his license being suspended and because the vehicle was stolen.”
If Yang posts bond, he must comply with all pre-trial monitoring conditions.
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