Man Turns Himself in After Escaping Police Custody in Washburn

Authorities say a man who escaped custody in Washburn County has turned himself in. 

The Washburn County Sheriff’s Office responded to reports of two trespassers in a home in Birchwood Township around 1:30 Sunday morning. 

Police also found a car crashed into a tree not far from the home. 

Authorities arrested Tracey Darling for OWI and drug charges. 

Darling was handcuffed with belly chains and put in the back of a squad car while officers cleared the crash scene. 

Darling managed to force open the prisoner cage, climb into the front seat and flee the scene.

An multi-agency search was conducted with the help of Barron County Sheriff’s Deputies, Sawyer County, Birchwood Police Department, Spooner Police Department, and the Wisconsin State Patrol. 

The search was called off Sunday morning after Darling spoke to family members and said he was going to turn himself in. 

Darling was wanted for Escaping Custody, Burglary, Drug Charges and Failure to Report an Accident. 

Police say other charges were pending his apprehension. 

A second suspect was arrested and booked in the Washburn County Jail on Burglary and Disorderly Conduct charges.