Just days before Christmas, two 10-year-old boys in Wisconsin are dead after police reported that their father sped away from law enforcement during a traffic stop and subsequently crashed. Four other people were also hospitalized in the incident.

The crash took place in Delafield, about 25 miles west of Milwaukee, just north of Interstate 94, the Waukesha County Sheriff’s Department reported.

A sheriff's office spokesperson said, just before midnight Wednesday, deputies attempted to stop a vehicle in Pewaukee because the driver was speeding and the car did not have a license plate.

The vehicle initially stopped, the spokesman said, but before the deputy could make contact the driver "fled the scene at a high rate of speed."

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Police chase ends in fatal crash

A police pursuit took place and the vehicle, which officials said traveled at speeds of 95 mph, eventually disappeared from the deputy's sight, and crashed about 10 miles west in Delafield.

"My deputies never got near the vehicle... so we didn't even have a chance to make contact with the driver." Sheriff Eric Severson said during a press conference. "The fact that two children lost their lives this morning as a result of really bad decision making is very saddening to all of us."

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Driver, girlfriend and two other young children taken to hospital

In all, six people were inside the car when it wrecked and the four surviving occupants were taken to hospitals, officials told local WTMJ-TV: The driver and his girlfriend, both 29 of Milwaukee; a 6-year-old girl; and a 14-year-old girl.

The driver suffered "critical but stable" injuries, his girlfriend suffered serious injuries, the outlet reported. The condition of the 6-year-old girl and 14-year-old girl were not immediately known Friday.

USA TODAY has reached out to the sheriff's office.

Police told WITI-TV the driver, whose name has not yet been released, was wanted on a charge of felony possession of a firearm and additional charges are pending against him.

Wisconsin State Patrol troopers are also investigating the crash which remained under investigation Friday authorities said.

Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on X @nataliealund.

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