COLUMBUS, Ind. – A Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Office deputy was on routine patrol on Wednesday, in the area of North US 31 and West County Road 550N at around 8:30 p.m., when he observed a car traveling around 35 mph in a 55 mph zone.
As the deputy approached, the vehicle stopped abruptly in the roadway and then continued north on US 31.
Law enforcement tried to pull the car over on the northbound I-65 entrance ramp but the vehicle failed to stop. It continued north into Johnson County. The driver allegedly made several lane changes, drove on the shoulder at times, and traveled at varying speeds.
The vehicle struck six successful tire deflation devices set up by multiple assisting agencies during the pursuit. An officer from the Beech Grove Police Department successfully executed a PIT maneuver at the 103-mile marker as the car was traveling at 24 mph.
A high-risk traffic stop was conducted after the PIT maneuver during which the driver, Donald Seawood 71, of Indianapolis, was taken into custody.
The suspect was taken to Bartholomew County Jail and charged with resisting law enforcement using a vehicle and operating without a license. Seawood remains in custody with a $7,500 bond.
His publicly available past arrest records revealed three previous cases of resisting law enforcement using a vehicle.
This is a preliminary investigation. All persons are innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.