West Allis police chase ended by PIT maneuver, with two men arrested after late-night crash

Pursuit ends near 60th Street and Greenfield Avenue

A late-night police pursuit in West Allis ended with a crash near the intersection of South 60th Street and West Greenfield Avenue, where two men were taken into custody. The incident occurred shortly before 1 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026, after an officer attempted to stop a vehicle for speeding and the driver fled, triggering a pursuit.

Police said the fleeing driver tried to pass another vehicle near 60th and Greenfield and caused a crash. Authorities identified those arrested as a 25-year-old West Allis man who was driving and a 26-year-old West Allis man who was a passenger.

What a PIT maneuver is and why it draws scrutiny

The pursuit is part of a broader pattern of agencies increasingly weighing how to safely end chases that unfold on busy urban arterials and highways. One commonly used tactic is the PIT maneuver—short for Precision Immobilization Technique—where an officer uses a squad vehicle to make controlled contact with a fleeing vehicle in an effort to induce a spin and stop the flight.

The maneuver can quickly end a pursuit, but it is widely debated in policing because it introduces a deliberate collision into an already risky situation. Departments often set specific training and policy requirements for its use, and some agencies restrict or prohibit PIT maneuvers altogether, depending on factors such as road conditions, traffic volume, the speed involved and the seriousness of the suspected offense.

Recent regional cases show varying pursuit outcomes

Recent incidents in the Milwaukee-area region illustrate how pursuits can unfold differently depending on the circumstances and the agencies involved. In one multi-agency pursuit captured on video from March 11, a PIT maneuver was used to stop a vehicle on Interstate 94 after a chase that began in Hales Corners and involved mutual aid. In another case detailed by police in a separate incident, West Allis officers joined a pursuit near Highway 100, used a tire-deflation device, and ended the chase with a PIT maneuver before turning the suspect over to another department.

In yet another incident, a chase that began in West Allis and continued into Brookfield ended after stop sticks were deployed and a PIT maneuver forced a stolen vehicle to stop; police reported that the driver then attempted to reverse into a squad car before two occupants were arrested.

What happens next

In the Feb. 12 West Allis case, police have not publicly released additional investigative details beyond the circumstances leading to the initial attempted stop and the crash that ended the pursuit. Arrests do not determine guilt; any criminal charges would be evaluated and filed by prosecutors based on investigative reports and evidence.

• Incident location: near S. 60th St. and W. Greenfield Ave., West Allis
• Time reported: just before 1 a.m., Feb. 12, 2026
• Outcome: crash and two arrests

Police pursuits remain among the most consequential split-second decisions officers make, balancing immediate public safety against the risks posed by continued flight.