Police didn’t know whether Joseph Johnson had done anything wrong or not. But when they suddenly noticed him behind the wheel of a sheriff’s department squad car and watched him slam into another vehicle last week, they made their decision rather quickly.

According to reports from both the Burnett County Sheriff’s and Webster Police Departments, Johnson, 18, from Webster, was cited for Operating while Intoxicated, Operating after Suspension and Failure to Maintain Control after allegedly stealing a squad car and taking a short joyride in Webster Village last Wednesday, June 4 at approximately midnight.

Initially, the reports state, officers were called to the scene in response to a traffic incident and while questioning another suspect, Johnson was placed in the squad car to wait. He was not handcuffed or under arrest at the time.

But as Webster Police Officer Bridget Getts states in her report, someone suddenly yelled Johnson was driving Deputy Travis Thiex’s car.

While law enforcement officers chased after the car and Webster firefighters and emergency medical crews watched, Johnson allegedly jumped a curb and spun numerous circles in the Webster Fairgrounds parking lot, then headed north on Sturgeon Avenue where he entered a residential yard and struck a van parked in the driveway.

The force of the collision caused very severe damage to both the van, owned by Wayne Watral of Webster, and the squad car and may have shortened Johnson’s ride considerably. Although not confirmed, the severity of the impact may have triggered a safety mechanism in the 2001 Ford Crown Victoria, which caused it to shut off in the middle of Sturgeon Avenue a short distance from where the incident began.

According to Getts’ report, once the vehicle stopped, she pulled her squad car directly in front of Johnson, while Thiex removed Johnson from the driver’s seat, handcuffed him and placed him in Getts’ vehicle. While he didn’t suffer injuries during the collision, Johnson reportedly kicked the windows in Getts’ vehicle and banged his head against the inside, causing injuries to his head and face.

Along with Dustin R. Janes, 17, Webster, who was also involved in the initial traffic incident, Johnson was transported to Burnett County Jail where, as of Tuesday, he was still being held.

According to a separate Webster Police report, Janes was cited for Possession of Drug Paraphernalia after a marijuana pipe was found in his pants pocket.

Although the incident is still under investigation, it’s believed Johnson crawled through the Plexiglas window inside Thiex’s squad car to gain access to the steering wheel.

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