Michigan car chase ends in Indiana

November 22, 2011|By STAN MADDUX South Bend Tribune Correspondent

Police chased a man from Michigan into Indiana on Tuesday morning after officers spiked his tires. The driver of the vehicle kept going for several miles until he was forced into a guardrail near Michigan City.

Three Oaks Police Chief Frank Nekvasil said he clocked Taurean C. Jackson, 26, going 36 mph in a 25 mph zone on Elm Street just after 6 a.m. He attempted to make a traffic stop and Jackson did pull over the 2011 Mercury Grand Marquis he was driving. But as Nekvasil was approaching the vehicle, he took off.

Nekvasil said Jackson was giving him hand gestures as he was following him across the state line on 500 East in northern LaPorte County.

Nekvasil also said Jackson was traveling anywhere from 20 to 70 mph and often veered into the opposite lane running several oncoming drivers off the road, including two school buses.

After the chase headed south, a LaPorte County sheriff's deputy used stop sticks to flatten two of Jackson’s tires, but he continued westbound on US 20 near Rolling Prairie. Jackson was traveling at 15 to 20 mph and sometimes zigzagging between the eastbound and westbound lanes.

At times, police said he opened his car door like he was going to step out and held what appeared to be a cell phone out the window.

Andrea Keehn, 37, of LaPorte was on her way to work in Gary and was trailing police during their pursuit.

''This guy, he's all over the road,'' Keehn said.

About a dozen units were involved in the pursuit when it ended near US 35 just east of Michigan City.

Jon Keene, a LaPorte County sheriff's deputy, pulled beside Jackson and forced him into a guard rail.

''Fortunately, no one was hurt,'' said Nekvasil.

According to police, Jackson was driving a rental car that was rented in Minnesota. It is unsure why Jackson fled from police.

The man was taken to the LaPorte County Jail but was transferred as a precaution to IU Health LaPorte Hospital because of an elevated heart rate, according to John Boyd, the LaPorte County police chief of detectives.

Boyd said there were no gunshots and the squad car used to stop the chase had minimal damage.

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