Ellsworth Man Found Guilty of Several Drug Charges

Saturday, May 4th, 2024 -- 11:00 AM

(Heather Knox, WEAU) An Ellsworth man pleaded no contest yesterday to several charges relating to a police chase that led to the discovery of several drugs in March of 2022.

According to Heather Knox with WEAU, 42-year-old Craig Harp of Ellsworth, Wis., pleaded no contest to an amended charge of possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine (>50g) as a repeat offender without second or subsequent offense, an amended charge of possession with intent to deliver heroin (>3-10g) as a repeat offender without a second or subsequent offense, and a charge of second-degree recklessly endangering safety as a repeat offender.

Priors were acknowledged. The court accepted the pleas and found the defendant guilty. Additional counts of identity theft-financial gain as a repeat offender and driving or operating a vehicle without the owner’s consent, second or subsequent offense, as a repeat offender were dismissed outright.

Additional charges were dismissed but read in. These included:

• possession with intent to deliver narcotics, second or subsequent offense, as a repeat offender
• vehicle operator fleeing/eluding an officer as a repeat offender
• uttering a forgery as a repeat offender;
• possession of drug paraphernalia as a repeat offender;
• possessing/illegally obtaining a prescription as a repeat offender;
• obstructing an officer as a repeat offender;
• carrying a concealed knife as a repeat offender;
• misdemeanor bail-jumping as a repeat offender;
• operating a motor vehicle while revoked;
• and exceeding speed zones at 45+ miles per hour.

A sentencing hearing is expected in early September. WEAU reported on March 23, 2022, that according to the criminal complaint, the Eau Claire Police Department found a vehicle, reported to have been stolen out of Barron County, at the Mega Holiday at 2611 Birch Street Sunday at 11:15 p.m. ECPD saw three people get out of the vehicle.

The criminal complaint said that when ECPD stopped to confirm plates, one person got in the car and drove around the Mega Holiday. The driver then fled to Wagner Street onto eastbound Birch Street and ran a stop sign at Starr Avenue.

The driver turned onto Hastings Way going south at speeds approaching 100 miles per hour. The driver eventually made their way to Rudolph Road, nearly hitting another vehicle head-on, driving about 100 miles per hour in the wrong lane.

The driver went to Clairemont and then to Menomonie Street, where the driver hit a curb, stopping the vehicle. The driver got out of the vehicle and fled on foot with a black bag towards Menards Tennis Center.

The driver threw the bag, then continued to flee before tripping and landing face-first on the pavement. The driver did not comply with orders to show hands. He was taken into custody. The driver was identified as Harp, who had warrants from DOC and Minnesota.

According to the criminal complaint, authorities searched the bag that was in Harp’s possession, in which they found what they suspected to be 232.6 grams of methamphetamine, 3.82 grams of heroin, 30 oxycodone hydrochloride pills, assorted pills and powders not identified, fentanyl test kits, numerous clean gem bags, white smartphone, multi-colored butterfly knife.

Authorities searched the vehicle and found what they suspected to be two counterfeit $100 bills, paraphernalia and powder/residue that tested positive as meth and a checkbook that did not belong to Harp.

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