NORTH VERNON, Ind. – The Jennings County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO) initiated a traffic stop on an SUV on US 50, near Nebraska, on Thursday at around 2:45 p.m. The driver, Michael Vance, 35, had active felony warrants out of Jennings and Dearborn Counties.
Deputies said he initially pulled to the side of the road but then took off, initiating a vehicle pursuit.
The suspect traveled at speeds up to 90 mph toward Holton. When he saw Ripley County deputies set up on US 50 with stop sticks, he tried to evade law enforcement through a cornfield and onto a county road. JCSO continued to pursue Vance as he continued to State Road 421 toward Versailles.
During the chase, Jennings County Dispatch was in contact with Vance and his wife on the phone. He was eventually convinced to surrender and came to a stop at the Ripley County and Jefferson County line. He was taken into custody without further incident.
Officers went back through the path of the pursuit and allegedly found numerous illegal items along the roadway that they said they had witnessed the suspect throw out of his vehicle.
Vance is being housed at the Jennings County Jail where he will be held until he is released and transferred to Dearborn County. He was preliminarily charged with:
- A Warrant for Unlawful Possession of a Syringe (Level 6 Felony) from Jennings County
- Resisting Law Enforcement via Vehicle (Level 6 Felony)
- Unlawful Possession of a Syringe (Level 6 Felony)
- Possession of a Narcotic Drug (Level 6 Felony)
- Possession of Paraphernalia (Class C Misdemeanor)
- Reckless Driving (Class C Misdemeanor)
- A Warrant for Probation Violation from Dearborn County
