Deputy recounts first shift, gunfire and aftermath during Mayotte sentencing

By Brandi Makuski

Portage County Deputy Elliot Schmoll thought he was starting a routine overnight shift when a traffic stop turned into gunfire.

Nearly a year and a half later, Schmoll sat at the prosecution’s table and read from prepared remarks, describing how that night unfolded — and how it still follows him.

Schmoll’s statement came during the Jan. 9 sentencing of Clinton H. Mayotte, the Wisconsin Rapids man who fired at him during the Aug. 20, 2024 pursuit. The sentencing hearing lasted about an hour.

Portage County Sheriff Mike Lukas, Deputy Chief Ben Beaudoin, Capt. Josh Ostrowski, and several other deputies sat in the gallery in support of their coworker on Friday morning.

Schmoll told Judge Louis Molepske, Jr., that it was his first Monday shift after completing his probationary period. He had just turned 22. He put on his vest, left home, and went to work, expecting an ordinary overnight patrol.

“It was as routine as any law enforcement shift could be,” Schmoll said, “until it suddenly wasn’t.”

In the early morning hours, Schmoll said he spotted a traffic violation in Portage County and activated his emergency lights. At the time, he said, he had no knowledge of a domestic incident that had occurred earlier in another jurisdiction.

“I had attempted to stop the defendant’s vehicle with a simple intention of informing him of a violation, educating and releasing him with a warning,” he said.

The vehicle didn’t stop.

Instead, Schmoll said it sped off, quickly reaching speeds over 100 mph. Moments later, he told the court, the situation escalated beyond anything he expected.

“Shortly after the pursuit began, the defendant cowardly brandished a firearm and opened fire on my patrol car multiple times, attempting to kill me,” Schmoll said.

Schmoll said his supervisor had been close to calling off the pursuit to protect the public — until the shots were fired.

“By the grace of God, the pursuit was not called off,” he said. “Because only God knows what the defendant intended to do with that firearm if he had gotten away.”

The chase stretched more than 20 miles and continued into Wood County, where officers from multiple agencies joined in. Schmoll said he stayed in the lead unit and watched as gunfire struck other squad cars.

“Inside those vehicles are men — men with children, wives, parents, and friends,” he said. “Watching them be shot at and not knowing whether they had been hit, all while being unable to help, was one of the hardest moments of my life.”

When the chase ended, and the suspect ran on foot, Schmoll said he exited his squad and fired his duty weapon to stop what he believed was an immediate threat.

“The feeling of firing at another human being is something I never want to experience again,” Schmoll said. “I did not join this profession to harm anyone, but the defendant left me no choice.”

What followed, Schmoll said, was quieter — and harder.

He told the court he didn’t return home until nearly 24 hours after his shift began, after interviews and reports. He said he had to tell his mother, “who was waiting in fear,” that he was OK.

“For days, I could not sleep,” Schmoll said. “I woke up from nightmares of being shot or other officers being shot.”

Schmoll said he sought therapy, something he described as difficult for a young officer worried about what asking for help might mean for his career. The incident, he said, changed how safe he felt in public and left him questioning whether he could return to the job he had worked so hard to earn.

In the end, he did.

“This work is a calling,” Schmoll said. “I believe God blessed me with the desire to protect the people of this community.”

Schmoll also spoke about accountability, telling the court he was disappointed by sentencing recommendations he believed didn’t reflect the danger officers faced.

“The defendant is a career criminal,” he said. “His actions were deliberate, calculated, and violent.”

“We are people, too,” Schmoll added. “And we deserve the same protection under the law as any other citizen.”

Several deputies sat quietly in the gallery as Schmoll spoke, including Portage County Sheriff Mike Lukas.

After hearing from Schmoll, Molepske Jr. sentenced Mayotte to 20 years in prison — 15 years of initial confinement followed by five years of extended supervision.

Molepske ordered the Portage County sentence to be served consecutively to Mayotte’s Wood County case, meaning it adds prison time on top of the 25 years of initial confinement and 10 years of extended supervision Mayotte is already serving for related attempted homicide convictions stemming from the same incident.

For Schmoll, the sentencing closed the court chapter tied to that night — even if the impact remains.

“I’m incredibly fortunate to be here today,” he said. “Many officers and deputies in similar situations never made it home to their families.”