Wisconsin Rapids man pleads not guilty to attempted murder during high-speed chase

WISCONSIN RAPIDS — A 30-year-old Wisconsin Rapids man is accused of shooting at the officers’ patrol cars, leading them on a high-speed chase pleaded not guilty Monday morning to attempted murder.

Clinton H. Mayotte, who also faces charges in Portage County in connection with the same incidents, has pleaded not guilty to five counts of attempted first-degree murder; one count of fleeing an officer, one count of possession of a firearm as a convicted felon and one misdemeanor count of domestic violence. Marathon County Judge Scott Corbett, who is acting as a bench judge in the Wood County case, set Mayotte’s next appearance for Jan. 28.

Mayotte is charged with attempted first-degree murder, fleeing an officer and possession of a firearm as a convicted felon in Portage County. He is scheduled to be charged on November 11.

According to the criminal complaint, in the early morning hours of Aug. 20, a Wisconsin Rapids woman reported that Mayotte was acting paranoid and she thought he was trying to break into her home. She said she was horrified by Mayotte’s behavior. Mayotte hit the woman in the forehead with her cell phone. According to the complaint, Mayotte told the woman to shut her mouth, covered her mouth with his hand and briefly squeezed her.

The woman said Mayotte drove off in his car. According to the complaint, the vehicle was involved in a pursuit that began with a traffic stop in Portage County.

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At 1:09 a.m. on Aug. 20, a Portage County deputy reported he was pursuing a vehicle westbound on State 54 and approaching the Wood County line. According to the complaint, the vehicle was traveling about 100 miles per hour and fired shots at a Portage County patrol car. A Wood County deputy joined a Portage County deputy in a chase on the Riverview Expressway in Wisconsin Rapids. A Grand Rapids patrol car also joined the chase.

The group walked through the streets on the west bank of the river. As the driver, later identified as Mayotte, approached the intersection of 17th Avenue and Chase Street, he fired two shots in the direction of the patrol car. Mayotte then drove back onto the Riverview Expressway, 12th Street, Oak Street, 16th Street, Airport Avenue, Eighth Street and eventually East Grand Avenue, where officers were able to disable his vehicle.

According to the complaint, Mayotte fled from his vehicle, firing at officers. Officers allegedly saw Mayotte shoot several times at patrol cars during the chase.

According to the complaint, Mayotte fled into the home and climbed onto the roof, where he continued to fire at the officers. A Wisconsin Rapids officer and a lieutenant said they saw Mayotte on the roof point a gun at them. The officers shot and wounded Mayotte, according to the complaint.

If convicted, Mayotte faces a maximum sentence of 60 years in prison on each of the five counts of attempted murder. He is currently being held in jail on $2 million bail.

Contact Karen Madden at 715-345-2245 or [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @KMadden715, Instagram @kmadden715 or Facebook at www.facebook.com/karen.madden.33.

This article originally appeared on the Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune: A Wisconsin Rapids man denies shooting at officers during a high-speed chase