Courts

Escapee enters not guilty plea on charges filed in police pursuit from PDC to La Crosse

Published

9 months ago

August 10, 2023

A judge finds probable cause to try an escaped jail inmate who made his way to La Crosse after breaking away from police in Prairie du Chien.

Paul Germundson pleads not guilty to three criminal counts, choosing not to have an evidence hearing before Judge Elliott Levine on Thursday.

Authorities say Germundson got away from officers on August 2nd, while being taken from the Crawford County jail to a hospital.

He reportedly stole a car, and abandoned the vehicle in Stoddard before making it to La Crosse, where he was arrested outside a motel during a struggle with police, including an attempt to take a gun out of an officer’s holster so police would shoot him.

No trial date has been set on the charges of resisting arrest, attempting to disarm an officer, and possessing narcotics.

Brad Williams

A native of Prairie du Chien, Brad graduated from UW - La Crosse and has worked in radio news for more than 30 years, mostly in the La Crosse area. He regularly covers local courts and city and county government. Brad produces the features "Yesterday in La Crosse" and "What's Buried on Brad's Desk." He also writes the website "Triviazoids," which finds odd connections between events that happen on a certain date, and he writes and performs with the local comedy group Heart of La Crosse. Brad been featured on several national TV programs because of his memory skills.