(Kenosha County Sheriff’s Department)
Kenosha, Wis. — A Kenosha man with a lengthy criminal record is facing 14 new criminal charges, including multiple counts of reckless injury and endangerment, after he allegedly led police on a dangerous, high-speed chase through city streets Friday evening, causing a rollover crash that seriously injured at least two passengers.
Joshua J. McCarthy, 38, appeared in court Monday afternoon where a court commissioner set his cash bail T $75,000. McCarthy is on a probation hold, so he isn’t going anywhere even if he can come up with the cash. He is scheduled to return to court later this month for a preliminary hearing.
(Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
McCarthy is charged with:
- Fleeing an officer resulting in great bodily harm while using a dangerous weapon (Class E felony, enhanced with repeater and weapon penalties)
- Two counts of first-degree reckless injury (Class D felonies)
- Seven counts of first-degree recklessly endangering safety (Class F felonies)
- Injury by intoxicated use of a motor vehicle (Class F felony)
- Operating while revoked causing great bodily harm (Class I felony)
- Possession of cocaine (Class I felony, second and subsequent offense)
- Possession of drug paraphernalia (misdemeanor)
- Discharging bodily fluids at a public safety worker (Class I felony)
Taken together, if convicted on all counts with all applicable penalty enhancers, McCarthy faces up to 190 years and 6 months in prison and $565,500 in fines. He could also face several years of driver’s license revocation.
(Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
Wild Pursuit Ends in Violent Crash
According to the criminal complaint, the incident began around 6:30 p.m. on Friday, April 11, when Pleasant Prairie police began pursuing a Chevrolet Cruze that had previously fled a traffic stop in Zion, Illinois. When officers attempted to stop the vehicle near Carol Beach, the driver—later identified as McCarthy—fled at speeds reaching 91 mph, blowing through stop signs and red lights, and repeatedly swerving into oncoming traffic.
The chase ended in a violent rollover crash on Springbrook Road after McCarthy allegedly rammed a police squad car that was attempting to box him in. The vehicle flipped several times before landing in a residential yard. Officers detained four of the five occupants, while a fifth, Kevin O’Keefe, was too injured to exit the vehicle and had to be extracted by medical personnel.
The vehicle’s occupants were identified as:
- Joshua J. McCarthy, driver
- Austin Siferd
- Christian Bernhardt
- Samantha Winters
- Kevin O’Keefe
All were taken to Froedtert Hospital in Pleasant Prairie. Bernhardt suffered fractured ribs and a spinal injury. O’Keefe’s injuries were described as serious but were not detailed in the complaint.
(Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
Siferd, who was not charged, told police that McCarthy had said, “Hold on, I’m not going back to jail,” before initiating the chase. He claimed he pleaded with McCarthy to stop and considered jumping from the moving car.
Drugs, Paraphernalia, and Assault at the Hospital
Police recovered cocaine and drug paraphernalia from the vehicle, including glass tubes and prescription bottles not prescribed to McCarthy. At the hospital, McCarthy allegedly displayed signs of drug impairment. Officers later reported that he spat at a Pleasant Prairie officer, saying, “Go ahead and charge me with that too.”
McCarthy was previously convicted of fleeing an officer in 2021 and operating without a license in 2023. At the time of Friday’s crash, his operating privileges were revoked in both Wisconsin and Illinois.
(Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
(Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
(Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
30 Responses
This guy rolled a car Friday night. Sat in jail Saturday, Sunday and by Monday morning already had charges on him and bonded out.
Yet the deputy from Racine was arrested 10 days ago, April 4th and we are still waiting for those charges to be filed.
I wonder why ?
Please Xavier, tell us there’s not a double standard !
And if it’s not on you then, who ??
That’s because he posted bond on a misdemeanor. He was released with a court date. The DA has until the court date to determine if charges will be filed.
When arrested for a felony, the defendant remains in custody until the court date which is within 48 hours unless there are other circumstances (such as the weekend or holidays).
Are you telling me that he hit his wife, and who knows if a gun made an appearance, and it’s not considered a felony ?
I would think that his job and his “legal” access to a gun, while drunk would put him in a felony category.
(from the other story)
“recommend Ortiz be charged with two misdemeanors: battery and disorderly conduct, both carrying the domestic abuse enhancer.”
Guy hits his wife. Is let go. Goes home and …
Another drunk with a gun !
We can’t tolerate law enforcers who can’t control themselves.
So in your mind, if I have a couple glasses of whiskey on my deck, and my car is in the garage- I
Should be charged with drunk driving???
He is still in jail. Even if he gets a multi-million dollar bail today, he isn’t going anywhere. He’s on felony probation. He’s on a PO hold. The DA’s office could have charged that Sheriff’s deputy by now, but traditionally there are higher priority cases than that. If he would have been charged she would have gotten a signature bail or a very low bond that he would have been able to pay. I’m not excusing it I’m just telling you how it’s normally handled
These people who comment are too dumb to put common sense together!
They just want to nag on cops- who are human to!
And at end of day who cares
Kevin….hard working dude just trying to notify the community. Great job everyday😛
I’m really surprised. This guy appears to be very intelligent. 😂
That’s the mugshot of a guy who looks like a total winner @ life🤣
Why did PPPD not charge him with a felony to hold him so he could not bond out? Do you think he is going to show up to court today with all those charges? https://wcca.wicourts.gov/
Pay attention! He is still in jail!
It sucks that all 5 of these people didn’t die in this accident….all likely pieces of shit.
WOW!! Smh
Sorry not sorry snowflake.
Snowflake…. projection again.
Wow what? Clearly they are not upstanding citizens doing anything of use.
218 PM
District Attorney Xavier Solis. Defendant in custody and appeared in court w/ Attorney Timothy Spurlin. Clerk: HN. Preliminary hearing scheduled for April 22, 2025 at 08:45 am. $75,000 Cash Bond Set w/conditions (see bond entry). Atty moves to dismiss counts 12. State agrees and will refile. Court orders count 12 dismissed. cs
I take it back!
I reviewed ccap. Only count 12 was dismissed. Not the other counts. Looks like that count is getting refiled.
because the cops are crooked and on the take…. its hard to tell anything anymore with both sides lying thru their teeth….it will be rigged …. just like as usual
So follow the damn rules/ laws so you don’t have to interact with any of them! NOT a hard concept
ahh Phil MyCrakin thinks the cops are bad. Maybe don’t break the law and you wouldn’t have to worry about it.
Awe….give it a rest drama queen
Now his boss knows why he hasn’t been at work along with the 4 others. LOL
Boss! Hahaha you think this scum works?!
What a useless P.O.S. i never knew shit piled that high.
Follow the probation case. Good chance they won’t revoke it.
Why was the lady arrested last week for being drunk. And this week a policeman was drunk hit his wife but no arrest was made , why was a picture in County eye but not of this so called police Man for hitting his wife. I get tired of the system that people in this Town has.
lol so you think these d-bags don’t deserve jail time or are you just trying to deflect off of them?
Taken together, if convicted on all counts with all applicable penalty enhancers, McCarthy faces up to 190 years and 6 months in prison and $565,500 in fines. He could also face several years of driver’s license revocation… Even if he he get 1/2 of the “up to” does DL even matter?
Send him and the scum bags in the car all to prison its the only way they are going to learn anything ,