On Friday night, a man from Indiana was caught after a high-speed pursuit in DeKalb and Noble counties, which resulted in a patrol car crash and several felony charges.
At around 9:30 p.m., Dusty E. Dawkins, 43, was pursued by the Indiana State Police after allegedly driving without tail lights. The chase started when a trooper tried to stop him on SR327 near Warfield Street in Garrett. Dawkins chose to ignore the trooper, sped off south on SR327, and disregarded the “road closed” sign on CR56 due to ongoing construction.
Police reports indicate that Dawkins performed a U-turn and proceeded to flee northbound on SR327, ultimately colliding with a second trooper’s patrol car. Despite the stop sticks used to damage his tires, Dawkins continued to evade authorities and led them into Noble County. Additional stop sticks were deployed by officers before executing a Precision Immobilization Technique (PIT) maneuver near Avilla, which ultimately forced Dawkins’ vehicle into a ditch.
Despite resisting arrest, Dawkins was ultimately removed from his vehicle and taken into police custody. The discovery of cocaine in his possession resulted in further charges being brought against him. Dawkins now faces multiple felony charges, including resisting law enforcement, operating a vehicle while intoxicated, and possession of cocaine. At present, he remains incarcerated at the DeKalb County Jail.