The Monona Police Department on May 24 used a special piece of technology called a Grappler to end a high-speed pursuit, possibly marking the first successful deployment of the device in Wisconsin. Monona police began the chase around 12:53 a.m. Sunday, May 24, after officers spotted two vehicles driving recklessly along Stoughton Road/Highway 51, a congested thoroughfare on Madison’s east side, according to a department news release posted to Facebook. Police said the fleeing vehicle at one point slowed and the driver turned on its
hazard lights. Officers thought it might be a ploy to confuse police and extend the pursuit, so they deployed the Grappler and stopped the vehicle. It was department’s first successful field deployment of the device, which puts a net around a fleeing vehicle’s tires to stop them. Officers initially detained all four people in the vehicle but ultimately released the three passengers. The driver, 18-year-old Nathan A. Abernathy, has been charged with felony fleeing/eluding an officer. He made is initial court appearance May 27 and
was released on a $500 signature bond, online court records show. Is the Grappler being used in Milwaukee? Reckless driving remains a key public safety issue in Milwaukee. Police officers initiate pursuits for reckless driving far more frequently than other reasons, according to an annual report from the city’s Fire and Police Commission. Reckless driving chases made up 76.2% of all chases in 2025, up from 62.4% the previous year. Meanwhile, city police officials have balked at implementing the Grappler and other technology, such as
GPS tracking devices, which the department trialed in the past. There are logistical and practical barriers to implementing the technology in Milwaukee, officials said. The Grappler would require upgrading the department’s fleet of vehicles for use, as the current vehicles are not compatible, Assistant Police Chief Craig Sarnow has previously said. It also presents problems in Milwaukee’s urban environment, as vehicles have a tendency to sway across the road when it’s used, he said.
Monona Police Department, Grappler device, high-speed pursuit, Stoughton Road/Highway 51, Nathan A. Abernathy, felony fleeing/eluding, Milwaukee police, Fire and Police Commission, reckless driving chases, GPS tracking devices, Craig Sarnow