MADISON, Wis. – A Madison man was sentenced Thursday to 11 years in prison for robbing a bank in August, according to a news release.
Jeffrey Parker, 40, robbed the Summit Credit Union in Portage, Wisconsin, on Aug. 13, according to the release. Officials said Parker zip-tied an employees’ hands together during the robbery. A high-speed chase with speeds in excess of 100 mph ensued after Parker robbed the bank, the release said.
Parker veered across several lanes of traffic as he drove toward Madison, eventually driving down East Washington Avenue. Officials said he ran through several red lights and hit a FedEx truck, knocking it on its side.
Judge James Peterson cited a lengthy criminal history and a need to protect the community as reasons for Parker’s 11-year sentence. In 2006, Parker was sentenced to 10 years in prison for a drug charge. Because of Parker’s previous criminal history and the bank robbery, Peterson called him a ticking time bomb.
The charge against Parker came as the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Portage Police Department, with help from the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, Wisconsin State Patrol, and the Madison and Maple Bluff police departments, according to the release.
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