The Madison downtown area was the site of a high-speed car chase last week.

A Madison Police Department officer encountered a stolen vehicle last Monday, March 29. While attempting to pursue and apprehend the driver, a high-speed chase through the downtown area broke out.

On March 20, a green 2004 Chevy Trailblazer was reported stolen on North Carroll Street. An MPD officer responded to the scene and the victim said the vehicle had been legally parked but was gone when he returned, an MPD incident report said.

The responding officer reported the vehicle’s description to agencies in the area.

Vehicle theft, though not a rare occurrence in the city, is not nearly as common as thefts from vehicles, MPD Officer Shannon Blackamore said.

A patrolling officer came upon a vehicle matching the stolen vehicle’s description around 10:56 a.m. on March 29 near the intersection of University Avenue and Lake Street. The report noted the officer noticed the driver checking the rearview mirror and felt suspicious of his intentions.

It was shortly after this time the driver accelerated and began leading the officer on a high-speed pursuit through downtown at speeds up to 70 miles per hour.

Blackamore said the decision to pursue a suspect is often left up to the discretion of the responding officer who considers circumstances unique to the event, including safety, traffic and other conditions.

“Typically, when a pursuit happens downtown, because of the density, they are often terminated, as it was in this case,” Blackamore said.

The report said the officer pursuing felt the driver, Daniel Hynes of Edgerton, was unconcerned with the safety of pedestrians and other drivers and drove repeatedly through red lights.

After allegedly driving into oncoming traffic, the officer took action to terminate the pursuit and Hynes collided with a lamp-post on North Bedford Street. A short foot pursuit took place and Hynes was apprehended near the 500 block of West Mifflin Street.

Hynes was arrested on charges of attempting to elude an officer, operating a vehicle without the owner’s consent, recklessly endangering safety, operating after revocation and casual possession of marijuana. He also later admitted to having originally stolen the vehicle.

No injuries were reported as a result of the chase.