Water St. suspect down from roof, taken into custody
By Brandi Makuski
The suspect in a catalytic converter theft and vehicle pursuit is now in custody.
Stevens Point police say 37-year-old Jeffery E. Grenlie, of Stevens Point, was arrested after more than six hours of evading police from a Water St. roof.
According to a news release from Lt. Dana Williams at SPPD, officers attempted negotiations and tried to de-escalate the situation to no avail. Grenlie eventually came down, and sometime later caused a disturbance wherein he was tased. He was taken into custody at about 3 p.m.
Grenlie is a suspect in a Tuesday morning catalytic converter theft.
Law enforcement closed off the 2500 block of Water St. for about two hours on Tuesday morning but ultimately determined Grenlie was making suicidal statements merely to avoid the police. The road was reopened a short time later.
Assistant Police Chief Mike Rottier said Grenlie was driving the vehicle that left the scene of a suspected catalytic converter theft in the Town of Plover at 8:20 a.m. Tuesday. When Stevens Point police located the vehicle on the southside of the city, they attempted a traffic stop but a short pursuit ensued, and the vehicle crashed into a porch on the 2500 block of Prarie St.
“[Grenlie] ran on foot, we set up a perimeter and had the suspect contained, we surrounded that house, and during communications with our negotiators, he became suicidal and climbed up on the roof,” Rottier said. “So we’ve de-escalated the situation and we’re trying to get [Grenlie] to peacefully surrender.”
Rottier said Johnson Towing was called to the scene to remove the suspect’s vehicle. The amount of damage caused to the home was not immediately known but there have been no injuries.
Grenlie could be seen from the road standing on the roof of an acquaintance’s residence and was heard shouting loud vulgarities from at least a block away.
“We do know who we’re dealing with, but we’re not releasing his name at this time,” Rottier said late Tuesday morning. “But we have negotiators on the scene and we’re willing to work with him. Right now he’s just staying on the roof and not coming down.”
The Portage County Sheriff’s Office, Wisconsin State Patrol, and Plover Police Department were also assisting at the scene.
