(image: Wright County Sheriff’s Office)
A Wisconsin man was extradited from Wright County back to Wisconsin this week, and made his first court appearance on first-degree murder charges in the death of his girlfriend.
You may remember that during the afternoon of February 5th, 29-year-old Robert Chilcote of Porterfield, Wisconsin was apprehended after a high speed vehicle chase in Wright County.
The criminal complaint against Chilcote indicates that on February 5th, the Wright County Sheriff’s Office was notified that a suspect who was wanted in connection with an aggravated assault and possible homicide in Wisconsin was being tracked by cell phone in Monticello. Authorities in Wisconsin said the man could be armed. A short time later, the suspect’s red Toyota Prius with Wisconsin plates was spotted by a Wright County deputy on Broadway Avenue in Monticello. The deputy attempted a traffic stop, but refused to exit his vehicle, and instead, allegedly sped off on County Road 39 towards Otsego. The deputy gave chase with lights and siren activated. Officials say speeds in excess of 100 miles per hour were common during the chase, and that the fleeing driver disregarded traffic signals and stop signs, and recklessly passed other vehicles.
By this time, several squads and deputies were involved in the chase. The suspect vehicle turned onto Nashua Avenue Northeast, and was approaching 70th Street Northeast when a Wright County deputy was attempting to deploy stop sticks. The complaint says the driver swerved his vehicle directly toward the deputy, who jumped out of the way. The vehicle still came within five feet of hitting the deputy according to the report.
The chase ended when the suspect vehicle became stuck at the roundabout of 70th Street Northeast and O’Dean Avenue when the driver tried to avoid stop sticks that had been deployed. The driver, later identified as Robert Chilcote, was ordered out of the vehicle at gunpoint, and eventually complied. Officials say an AR 15 rifle with a multi-round magazine was found on the front passenger seat of the car.
Here in Wright County, Chilcote is charged with fleeing a police officer in a motor vehicle, and 2nd Degree assault with a dangerous weapon, his automobile. Both are felonies.
Earlier this week, Chilcote appeared in court in Wisconsin where he is charged with first-degree intentional homicide in the shooting death of his girlfriend, 24-year-old Gabriella Cartagena. Charges allege that Chilcote shot the young woman after an argument, and left her body just across the Wisconsin border in Menominee County, Michigan. Officials have since reported that Chilcote has allegedly admitted to the shooting, but claims it was accidental. Chicolte was held on 2 million dollars bail. He is scheduled to appear on charges in Wright County in early May.
