An Oneida County Deputy has been cleared in a high speed chase that ended in a deadly crash.
28-year-old Matthew Johnson was killed, and six people in another vehicle were hurt when Johnson crashed during the pursuit.
After reviewing the incident, Oneida County District Attorney Jillian Pfeifer said it was a very clear conclusion that deputy Michael Bedish was justified in starting the pursuit and continuing to chase Johnson.
It happened the evening of January 17th on Highway 47 in the Town of Newbold.
Bedish tried to pull Johnson over for operating while revoked and multiple counts of misdemeanor bail jumping.
Johnson initially pulled to the side, but then took off as Deputy Bedish was about to get out of his vehicle.
Deputy Bedish pursued Johnson, who’s speed exceeded 118 miles per hour.
He went out of control trying to get around other traffic and crashed, striking another vehicle.
The Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation looked into the crash and provided its findings to the District Attorney’s Office for review.
According to Pfeifer, The Department of Justice - Division of Criminal Investigation is commended for their diligent and thorough investigation into this matter.
The review of the information from their investigation resulted in the very clear conclusion that Deputy Bedish was justified in pursuing Johnson’s vehicle on January 17, 2025.
Pfeifer’s full findings can be found below.
PRESS RELEASE: Officer-Involved Critical Incident on January 17, 2025
SUMMARY
On January 17, 2025, an officer-involved incident occurred in the Town of Newbold. The incident involved the decedent, Matthew Johnson, and Deputy Michael Bedish from the Oneida County Sheriff’s Office. Pursuant to Wis. Stat. § 175.47, an investigation into a law enforcement officer-involved death must be conducted by an agency independent from the agency that employs the law enforcement officer(s) involved. As a result, the Oneida County Sheriff’s Office requested the assistance of the Wisconsin Department of Justice – Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI). In response, DCI conducted a comprehensive investigation. Pursuant to Wis. Stat. § 175.47(5)(a), all of the investigative materials have been provided by DCI to the Oneida County District Attorney’s Office for review. Upon review of said materials, pursuant to Wis. Stat. § 175.47(5)(b), the district attorney for the county in which the officer-involved death occurred is to determine whether there is a basis to prosecute the law enforcement officer involved.
I have reviewed all of the investigative materials provided by DCI and, based upon my review, I have concluded that Deputy Bedish was justified in initiating, and continuing, the pursuit of Johnson’s vehicle during the incident on January 17, 2025. The basis for my conclusion is set forth below.
MATERIALS REVIEWED
As a part of the investigation, DCI Special Agents performed a thorough investigation and provided the following materials for review: interviews of any responding law enforcement officers and emergency responders present at the scene, all available body camera and squad camera footage, interviews of known citizen witnesses, all relevant dispatch audio recordings, relevant dispatch records, law enforcement reports from surrounding law enforcement agencies assisting on the night of the incident, documentation of the scene including photographs and forensic mapping, video footage from the Shell gas station located on Hwy 47 and River Steet in the Town of Crescent, and medical records. DCI also gathered and processed evidence collected at the scene and provided materials from UW-Health – Anatomic Pathology Laboratory, NMS Laboratories, and Wisconsin Department of Transportation.
I have reviewed all of the materials provided by DCI. The following is a summary of that information.
FACTUAL SUMMARY
On January 17, 2025, at approximately 9:00 p.m., Deputy Bedish observed a male subject standing next to a black BMW parked at the Shell gas station located on the corner of Highway 47 and River Street in the Township of Crescent. Deputy Bedish then observed the individual look at Deputy Bedish’s marked squad vehicle and immediately look away, putting his hood up.
In response, Deputy Bedish drove past the black BMW and ran the vehicle registration through the computer located in Deputy Bedish’s squad vehicle. Upon doing so, Department of Transportation records displayed the vehicle being registered to a Matthew Johnson. Said records also indicated that Johnson’s driver’s license was revoked and that Johnson had a prior conviction for operating while intoxicated.
Deputy Bedish was also aware that Johnson had recent contact with law enforcement, resulting in Johnson’s arrest for criminal violations of operating while revoked and bail jumping. With this information, Deputy Bedish performed a Wisconsin Circuit Court Access (CCAP) search of Johnson, at which time Deputy Bedish learned Johnson was released on bond in two pending misdemeanor cases. One of the said bonds included a non-monetary condition that Johnson be prohibited from operating a motor vehicle.
Based on all of the information available to Deputy Bedish, Deputy Bedish decided to make contact with Johnson. As Deputy Bedish turned into the Shell gas station in an effort to make contact with Johnson, Deputy Bedish then observed Johnson, operating the black BMW, pull out of the Shell parking lot, and drive northbound on Highway 47. Deputy Bedish, in an attempt to catch up to Johnson’s vehicle, also turned onto Highway 47. After a short distance, Deputy Bedish’s squad vehicle was positioned behind Johnson’s vehicle, traveling northbound on Highway 47.
Once behind Johnson’s vehicle, to confirm it was, in fact, the same vehicle, Deputy Bedish ran the vehicle’s registration through the Oneida County Sheriff’s office dispatch center via his squad radio. Dispatch confirmed the vehicle was registered to Johnson and that Johnson’s driver’s license was revoked.
Upon confirmation, Deputy Bedish notified dispatch that he would be performing a traffic stop on Johnson’s vehicle. At approximately 9:14 p.m., Deputy Bedish activated his emergency red-and-blue lights to perform a traffic stop of Johnson’s vehicle. Moments thereafter, Johnson’s vehicle began to slow down, Johnson activated the right turn signal, and pulled onto the right (east) shoulder of Highway 47.
While Johnson’s vehicle was nearing a stopped position on the right (east) shoulder of Highway 47, Deputy Bedish used his squad vehicle’s spotlight to illuminate the interior of Johnson’s vehicle. Upon doing so, Deputy Bedish observed the driver to be the sole occupant of the vehicle.
Both vehicles came to a complete stop on the right (east) shoulder of Highway 47, at which time, Deputy Bedish placed his squad vehicle into the parked position. As Deputy Bedish was about to exit his squad vehicle, Johnson’s vehicle suddenly accelerated at a high rate of speed, traveling back onto the roadway, driving northbound on Highway 47. Deputy Bedish followed Johnson’s vehicle, with the squad vehicle’s emergency red-and-blue lights still activated.
While attempting to catch up to Johnson’s vehicle, Deputy Bedish activated his emergency siren and notified dispatch of an active “10-80”, which is law enforcement ten code for vehicle pursuit. Deputy Bedish also informed dispatch of the current conditions including wet roads, light snow, and light traffic.
As Deputy Bedish continued to attempt to catch up to Johnson’s vehicle, Deputy Bedish traveled at speeds in excess of 115 MPH, reaching a top speed of 120 MPH, while Johnson’s vehicle continued to gain distance ahead of Deputy Bedish’s squad vehicle. From the location of the attempted traffic stop to the location of the accident, Johnson traveled at speeds exceeding 100 MPH for a distance of approximately 5 miles.
As Johnson’s vehicle continued northbound on Highway 47, nearing Bridge Road, Johnson attempted to pass a vehicle traveling northbound; however, due to an oncoming vehicle traveling in the southbound lane, Johnson attempted to pass the northbound vehicle by traveling on the right (east) shoulder of Highway 47. As Johnson passed the northbound vehicle on the right (east) shoulder, Johnson lost control of his vehicle, and Johnson’s vehicle drifted towards the tree line of the road, while the northbound vehicle was braking. Johnson’s vehicle then slid in front of the vehicle braking, continued to slide across the northbound lane, crossed the center line and struck the vehicle that was traveling southbound. Upon striking the vehicle traveling southbound, said vehicle spun off into the ditch on the westbound side of Highway 47, and Johnson’s vehicle, having sustained extensive damage, came to rest in the middle of the southbound lane. As Deputy Bedish came upon the accident, he notified dispatch of a “10-50”, which is law enforcement ten code for a traffic crash.
Deputy Bedish’s squad vehicle came to a stop. Deputy Bedish exited his squad vehicle and approached Johnson’s car, yelling “Show me your hands.” Johnson was unresponsive. While Deputy Bedish attempted to determine the status of Johnson, other law enforcement officers arrived on scene to assist and attended to the occupants of the vehicle located in the ditch. Said vehicle contained six occupants, all of which were injured.
In an effort to get a response from Johnson, Deputy Bedish approached the vehicle and observed Johnson laying across both the driver and passenger seat. As additional emergency personnel arrived on scene, Johnson was ultimately removed from the vehicle to allow emergency personnel to attempt life-saving techniques. Johnson was declared deceased at the scene.
LEGAL ANALYSIS
After review and consideration of all the information, I believe the evidence establishes that Deputy Bedish’s actions were justified when initiating and continuing the pursuit of Johnson’s vehicle on January 17, 2025.
On the evening of January 17, 2025, in response to Deputy Bedish attempting to initiate a traffic stop for multiple counts of misdemeanor bail jumping contrary to Wis. Stat. § 946.49(1)(a), as well as operating while revoked contrary to Wis. Stat. § 343.44(1)(b) and (2)(ar)2., Johnson fled from law enforcement at a high rate of speed, also giving rise to a violation of fleeing and eluding an officer contrary to Wis. Stat. § 346.04(3). In response, Deputy Bedish initiated a pursuit of Johnson’s vehicle. When the pursuit was initiated, the traffic was light, the road conditions were wet, and it was starting to snow. Despite Deputy Bedish pursuing Johnson’s vehicle with emergency lights and siren activated, Johnson continued to flee from law enforcement at speeds exceeding 118 MPH, resulting in additional violations including reckless driving contrary to Wis. Stat. § 346.62. Based on multiple criminal offenses being committed as well as Johnson’s continued effort to flee from law enforcement, under the totality of the circumstances, Deputy Bedish was justified in both initiating the pursuit of Johnson’s vehicle as well as continuing the pursuit of Johnson’s vehicle.
The Department of Justice - Division of Criminal Investigation is commended for their diligent and thorough investigation into this matter. The review of the information from their investigation resulted in the very clear conclusion that Deputy Bedish was justified in pursuing Johnson’s vehicle on January 17, 2025.
Jillian Pfeifer
District Attorney
Oneida County, WI
