(Kenosha County Sheriff’s Office)
KENOSHA, Wis. — Three suspects are behind bars after authorities say a confrontation near the Somers Walmart erupted into two simultaneous high-speed pursuits, with one suspect allegedly ramming a marked Kenosha County Sheriff’s Office squad and another crashing into an uninvolved vehicle. Ace Leo Frank, 34, of Elkhart, Indiana; Cody Luigi Frank, 22, of Hudson, Wisconsin; and Sable Russell, 34 were all taken into custody following the pursuits. Ace Frank and Cody Frank are wanted on out-of-state felony warrants, while Russell faces a lengthy list of recommended Wisconsin charges, including seven counts of first-degree recklessly endangering safety and first-degree reckless injury.
(Kenosha County Sheriff’s Office)
(Kenosha County Sheriff’s Office)
(Kenosha County Sheriff’s Office)
The incident began Wednesday morning, August 19, when detectives with the Kenosha Drug Operations Group received information that a wanted person was near the Walmart in the Village of Somers. Detectives and Kenosha County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded and located a white pickup truck believed to contain Ace Frank and driven by a woman. While detectives watched the truck, they saw a gray pickup pull nearby and make brief contact with its occupants.
According to the Kenosha County Sheriff’s Office, deputies moved in to detain the occupants of both vehicles. Authorities say Cody Frank, driving the gray pickup, rammed a marked squad car and fled. The white pickup also took off, and deputies pursued both trucks westbound on County Highway S at high speeds. When the vehicles reached Highway H, they split up, creating two simultaneous pursuits.
The white pickup headed north and attempted to turn onto County Highway L. Its driver, identified as Sable Russell, allegedly lost control and struck an uninvolved vehicle. Three people inside that vehicle suffered minor injuries. Russell and Ace Frank were taken into custody at the conclusion of that pursuit.
Meanwhile, deputies continued chasing Cody Frank onto Interstate 41. Authorities deployed tire-deflation devices, which were successful. Frank continued south until his vehicle eventually stopped in Illinois, just south of the Wisconsin border. He then allegedly fled on foot into a cornfield before being captured a short time later.
All three suspects were taken to a hospital for evaluation. Investigators determined the suspects had outstanding warrants from numerous states across the country involving burglaries, thefts and narcotics charges. The Sheriff’s Office said the group has a history of fleeing and resisting arrest and providing false names and identification to law enforcement. Investigators said the suspects admitted during interviews that they fled because they knew they had outstanding warrants and anticipated spending an extended amount of time in prison.
A search of the vehicles allegedly turned up evidence of drug trafficking and burglaries, including communication equipment, burglary tools, jewelry, narcotics, fake IDs and nearly $12,000 in cash.
The Sheriff’s Office has recommended a long list of Wisconsin charges. Cody Frank faces seven counts of first-degree recklessly endangering safety, fleeing or eluding an officer, possession of a controlled substance, resisting or obstructing causing substantial bodily harm or soft-tissue injury, and criminal damage to property over $2,500.
Russell faces recommended charges including seven counts of first-degree recklessly endangering safety, fleeing or eluding, first-degree reckless injury causing great bodily harm, four counts of possession of narcotic drugs, possession of burglarious tools, resisting or obstructing an officer and possession of drug paraphernalia. Ace Frank faces recommended charges of possession of burglarious tools, four counts of possession of narcotic drugs and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Ace Frank is also being held on an Illinois warrant, while Cody Frank is being held on five out-of-state warrants. Investigators are still working to determine whether Russell has additional warrants under aliases because of what authorities described as a known history of fleeing and providing false identification to law enforcement.
The newly filed Wisconsin fugitive complaint against Ace Frank identifies an outstanding Cook County, Illinois, felony warrant accusing him of theft of more than $100,000 but not more than $500,000. Cody Frank’s fugitive complaint identifies a Pennsylvania warrant out of Butler County accusing him of burglary, theft by unlawful taking of movable property, criminal mischief involving property damage and conspiracy to commit burglary.
One Kenosha County Sheriff’s Office deputy sustained minor injuries during the effort to take Cody Frank into custody. A second deputy was treated for possible fentanyl exposure after transporting one of the suspects to jail and was released from the hospital.
A spokesperson for the Kenosha County Sheriff’s Office called the incident “an incredibly dangerous and reckless attempt to avoid accountability,” saying the suspects showed no regard for the safety of deputies, innocent motorists or members of the public. The spokesperson praised the professionalism and determination of the deputies and detectives involved and the cooperation of law enforcement partners throughout Wisconsin and Illinois.
The Kenosha Police Department, Pleasant Prairie Police Department, Wisconsin State Patrol and Illinois State Police assisted. The investigation remains open, and detectives are coordinating with federal, state and local agencies to determine the group’s possible involvement in other crimes around the country and whether additional charges should be referred.
