KENOSHA, Wis. – A 22-year-old woman accused of fleeing from law enforcement at speeds exceeding 100 miles per hour appeared in court Tuesday, where Kenosha County prosecutors called for a strong message to be sent to others engaging in high-speed chases.

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Commissioner William Michel II set bail at $25,000 cash for Keyanna Chavez-Diaz, who now faces three felony counts of first-degree recklessly endangering safety, along with charges of fleeing or eluding an officer. Her preliminary hearing is scheduled for June 3, 2025.

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Assistant District Attorney Toni Young, speaking firmly during the hearing, told the court that the case had struck a nerve in the community.

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“This case is really in the crawl of the entire community,” Young said, “in terms of what is happening with these high speed chases and fleeing and eluding.”

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While Chavez-Diaz has no prior criminal history, Young urged the court to impose a $50,000 cash bond, arguing that anything less would diminish the seriousness of the alleged conduct. She emphasized the broader public threat posed by these types of incidents.

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“These are not victimless crimes,” she said. “The entire community is victimized by these high speed chases because they can end in death—as they have.”

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According to the criminal complaint, the incident began when a Kenosha County sheriff’s deputy attempted a traffic stop near Highway 50 and Green Bay Road. Chavez-Diaz allegedly refused to pull over and instead accelerated rapidly, weaving through traffic at speeds that reached 110 miles per hour. Dashcam footage reportedly showed the vehicle blowing through red lights, narrowly avoiding collisions, and forcing multiple drivers onto road shoulders.

The chase continued for several miles, with Chavez-Diaz allegedly ignoring multiple squad sirens and visual signals. At one point, she is accused of driving into oncoming lanes to evade capture, nearly striking at least two vehicles head-on. Eventually, the pursuit ended when she lost control and came to a stop, though not before placing dozens of drivers and pedestrians at risk, according to the complaint.

Young noted Chavez-Diaz had a passenger in the vehicle who told authorities she was “terrified” during the chase. Investigators also documented reports from other motorists who said they had to swerve or brake hard to avoid being hit.

Young acknowledged Chavez-Diaz’s possible residence in Waukegan but said the state was not particularly concerned with her financial ability to post bond.

“We want to make sure she appears to court,” Young said. “And again, we don’t want to depreciate the severity of this.”

Chavez-Diaz remains in custody pending her next court appearance.

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