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Giana Ochs

Age : 18

Gender : Female

Race : White

Date : 07/28/2024

Location : National Avenue

City : New Berlin

County : Waukesha

State : Wisconsin

Agency : Muskego Police Department

Officer(s) :Unknown

Cause of Death : Vehicle

Event : Driver killed by police chase crash for "marijuana smell in car"

OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :

On 07/29/2024, Muskego Police Department officers observed a Toyota Corolla parked near Idle Isle Park and reported seeing behavior they considered suspicious. According to body-camera footage released later, an officer stated he believed the occupants were smoking marijuana. When officers attempted a traffic stop, the vehicle, driven by 18-year-old Giana Ochs of East Troy, continued driving while police pursued. During the pursuit, officers reported that the vehicle's speed and manner of driving became their primary concern.
The pursuit continued into New Berlin for less than two miles before the Corolla lost control while negotiating a turn on National Avenue near Sunnyslope Drive. The vehicle rolled several times. Ochs died from her injuries. Passenger Paige Pope, 17, was pronounced dead shortly after the crash, while passenger Caitlyn Curtis, 17, later died from her injuries at a hospital. A fourth occupant, a 16-year-old girl from Milwaukee, survived with critical injuries.
The Wisconsin State Patrol investigated the crash. As of the latest publicly available information, the names of the pursuing officers have not been publicly released, no criminal charges have been filed against any officer, and no public finding has concluded that the pursuit violated department policy. In December 2025, Muskego Police released body-camera and squad video documenting the encounter and pursuit.

SOURCE LINKS :

https://www.wisn.com/article/two-young-women-killed-in-muskego-police-pursuit/61730884
https://www.gmtoday.com/the_freeman/news/third-female-dies-in-july-crash-in-new-berlin/article_9d52a02d-bb8a-5342-a0cd-fc7a6cb9f98e.html