A Wisconsin driver who could have faced an ordinary speeding stop instead led officers across several counties in a stolen SUV, rammed police vehicles, drove into oncoming lanes, and continued fleeing even after spike strips tore into his tires.
Body-camera footage presented by the YouTube channel Code Blue Cam shows how the November 28, 2025, incident grew from a traffic violation into a prolonged pursuit involving local officers, sheriff’s deputies, and Wisconsin State Patrol troopers.
The channel identified the driver as 29-year-old John Coplin. By the time the case was finished, he had been sentenced to five years in state prison followed by another five years of extended supervision.
An Officer Clocks the SUV Above 100 MPH
Code Blue Cam’s narrator said the encounter began at about 10:20 p.m. when an Osseo police officer spotted a blue Toyota Highlander traveling at more than 100 mph on Highway 10.
The officer activated his emergency lights, expecting to conduct a traffic stop, but the SUV did not pull over.
Instead, the driver began changing speeds, braking, accelerating, swerving through lanes, and appearing at times as though he might stop before continuing again.
Radio traffic captured officers trying to identify the vehicle, its license plate, and the man behind the wheel while monitoring changing speeds that ranged from roughly 50 mph to more than 100.
The pursuing officer initially believed the SUV might be a Kia, but police later identified it as a Toyota Highlander.
What began as a speeding case was already becoming much more serious. Every additional mile gave the driver another chance to stop, yet each decision to continue increased the danger and the number of potential charges.
Police Learn He Had Already Escaped Once
As more units joined the pursuit, officers learned that Coplin had allegedly been driving the same vehicle for much of the evening.
Code Blue Cam reported that Eau Claire County sheriff’s deputies had pursued him earlier before he managed to get away.
Officers also learned that the Highlander had been reported stolen from Dunn County.
That meant the Osseo officer had not simply stumbled across a speeding motorist who panicked when he saw flashing lights. Police were now dealing with a driver accused of taking a vehicle without the owner’s consent and fleeing from another agency before the current chase even began.
The SUV raced through rural roads and sharp corners as officers from multiple jurisdictions tried to coordinate ahead of it.
At one point, Coplin went into a ditch but managed to drive back out and continue.
He also entered private land, moved through a field, and later returned toward the roadway, forcing officers to keep adjusting their positions.
Spike Strips Slow Him but Do Not Stop Him
A Wisconsin State Patrol trooper monitoring the radio traffic moved into position with spike strips.
Other officers warned one another about the Highlander’s direction and tried to guide the driver toward locations where the tires could be punctured safely.
The first attempts did not bring the pursuit to an end.
Eventually, a set of spike strips appeared to strike the driver’s side tires, and the SUV began slowing.
Code Blue Cam’s footage shows officers briefly gaining hope that the damaged tires might finally force Coplin to surrender.
Instead, he continued driving.
Speeds dropped to around 40 mph, but the Highlander remained mobile and unpredictable. Police said Coplin reversed direction, entered the wrong side of the highway, and kept moving despite the damaged tires.
A punctured tire often ends a normal chase because the vehicle becomes difficult to control. In this case, it created a new danger, since officers were now following a damaged SUV driven against traffic by someone who still refused to stop.
Troopers Use PIT Maneuvers as the SUV Rams Cruisers
A PIT-certified trooper eventually moved to the front of the pursuit and attempted to spin the Highlander out.
After one maneuver, officers said Coplin turned the SUV around and drove through the responding units, striking patrol vehicles as he forced his way past.
An officer can be heard reporting that the Highlander had rammed his cruiser.
Police later described Coplin driving south in a northbound lane while other motorists were approaching.
The PIT-certified trooper said he intervened again because he was concerned the fleeing SUV might strike an uninvolved vehicle.
Officers later compared accounts at the scene and said Coplin appeared to be aiming toward another car while moving slowly through the grass.
A trooper then used his patrol vehicle to block and pin the Highlander, ending the chase before it could continue into traffic.
The decision to stop him by force was no longer about the original speeding violation. By that stage, officers were trying to prevent a damaged stolen SUV from colliding with motorists or continuing to ram police vehicles.
Coplin Resists as Officers Pull Him Out
Once the Highlander was trapped, officers surrounded it with weapons drawn and repeatedly ordered Coplin to show his hands.
He was told to roll down the window, keep his hands visible, unbuckle his seat belt, and climb out.
Coplin asked officers to move a gun away from his face and repeatedly said he would comply, but police became increasingly frustrated as he remained inside the vehicle.
The driver’s door was damaged or blocked, making it harder for him to exit normally.
Officers warned that he could be shocked with a Taser if he did not get out.
Body-camera footage captures a chaotic struggle as officers pulled him through the opening, forced him toward the ground, and tried to secure both arms.
Coplin accused them of being too rough and insisted he had been prepared to cooperate.
One officer responded by identifying himself as the officer who had started the pursuit.
That exchange captures the enormous gap between how Coplin appeared to view his final moments in the vehicle and what police had experienced during the preceding chase. To him, the arrest was suddenly too aggressive; to officers, it followed miles of dangerous driving, repeated flight, damaged cruisers, and the threat to oncoming motorists.
Officers Discover the Full Extent of the Damage
After Coplin was handcuffed, officers began comparing what had happened across the different jurisdictions.
They confirmed that the vehicle had allegedly been stolen and connected him to the earlier pursuit involving Eau Claire County.
Troopers described how the Highlander had spun around after a PIT maneuver, rammed squad cars, crossed into opposing traffic, and moved toward another civilian vehicle before police finally boxed it in.
One officer said the SUV had originally passed him at about 65 mph in a 30 mph zone before the larger pursuit developed.
Coplin appeared extremely hot and sweaty after the arrest, although officers did not know whether drugs were involved.
The scene included damage to several patrol vehicles as well as the stolen Highlander.
One of the cruisers Coplin struck was a K-9 vehicle.
Later, while being transported for medical clearance, Coplin learned that a police dog had been inside and had been shaken by the collision.
“Damn. I’m sorry,” Coplin said after hearing about the dog.
He also apologized more generally, though an officer told him life would have been much easier if he had simply stopped.
Coplin said he had been trying to speak with his girlfriend.
The Charges Led to a Decade of Supervision
Code Blue Cam reported that prosecutors across the two counties charged Coplin with felony fleeing or eluding an officer while causing bodily harm or property damage.
He also faced two counts of attempting to flee or elude an officer, operating a vehicle without the owner’s consent, and misdemeanor resisting an officer.
The channel said all the allegations were charged as repeat offenses.
His total cash bond was set at $27,500.
Coplin later entered no-contest pleas to fleeing or eluding an officer while causing bodily harm or property damage and to two counts of attempting to flee or elude.
The remaining charges were dismissed but read into the case, according to the narrator.
A judge ultimately sentenced him to five years in state prison followed by five years of extended supervision.
The final punishment shows just how far the incident moved from its starting point.
A driver stopped for speeding might receive a citation, fines, or consequences for reckless driving. Coplin instead turned that moment into a multi-county pursuit involving a stolen vehicle, spike strips, PIT maneuvers, damaged police cruisers, wrong-way driving, and physical resistance during arrest.
He had many opportunities to stop before the situation reached that level.
By continuing, he transformed a traffic stop into a case that will keep him under state control for a decade.
Ed spent his childhood in the backwoods of Maine, where harsh winters taught him the value of survival skills. With a background in bushcraft and off-grid living, Ed has honed his expertise in fire-making, hunting, and wild foraging. He writes from personal experience, sharing practical tips and hands-on techniques to thrive in any outdoor environment. Whether it’s primitive camping or full-scale survival, Ed’s advice is grounded in real-life challenges.
