May 17—CHIPPEWA FALLS — An Eau Claire man accused of driving drunk and fleeing from authorities on Sunday is being held on a $25,000 cash bond.

Paul W. Smith, 61, 3006 W. Cameron St., appeared in Chippewa County Court on possible charges of fifth-offense drunken driving and second-degree recklessly endangering safety. Smith also was cited for possession of open intoxicants by a driver and driving the wrong way on a divided highway.

Judge Ben Lane set the cash bond. If Smith is released, he must take daily preliminary breath tests and cannot consume alcohol or enter taverns.

Smith will return to court May 23 for a bond hearing before Judge Steve Gibbs.

Shortly before 2:30 a.m. Sunday, Wisconsin State Patrol attempted a traffic stop on Hastings Way near Highway 93, the agency reported. Smith, the driver, had driven through a stop sign and was speeding. He did not stop and fled from the trooper. That trooper followed the car for some time but eventually stopped the pursuit.

Smith was later found on I-94 westbound, where he exited onto Highway 29 and drove east in the westbound lanes. Again the trooper tried to stop the car but Smith continued to flee.

Troopers continued the pursuit and eventually the Lake Hallie Police Department was able to stop the car by deploying tire deflation devices. Smith was taken to the Chippewa County Jail. A preliminary blood-alcohol level was not immediately available.

Because the chase went through three counties, Smith is charged or cited in all three. Smith has been cited for excessive speeding in Eau Claire County; he is slated to return to court there on June 15. Dunn County Court also cited Smith for possession of open intoxicants, driving the wrong way on a divided highway, reckless driving-endangering safety, and speeding on an expressway of 35 mph above the speed limit or greater; the citation states he was 40 mph over the speed limit. Smith is slated to appear in that court Sept. 5.

Online court records show Smith was convicted of obstructing an officer in Eau Claire County Court in 2016; charges of posessing meth, narcotic drugs and drug paraphernalia were read-in and dismissed.