By Staff
NILES - A 35-year-old South Bend, Ind. man is in custody following a high-speed chase across state lines Wednesday night.
A Michigan State Police reports on Wednesday, March 15, shortly before 11 p.m., St. Joseph County, Ind. police initiated a pursuit with a small red vehicle near the Michigan and Indiana state line. The suspect vehicle was pursued into Michigan, where it extinguished its headlights and continued to flee, the report states.
The suspect vehicle allegedly struck a bicyclist in the area of Church Street and Ontario Road in Michigan and fled northbound on South Third Street, Michigan State Police said.
The bicyclist, a 35-year-old Niles man, sustained non-life threatening injuries. He was treated at Lakeland Hospital emergency room and released, the report states.
The suspect vehicle information was passed onto Niles City Dispatch, who relayed the information to state and county units. The report states a Berrien County deputy observed the suspect vehicle traveling westbound on U.S. 12 near U.S. 31 at more than 100 mph.
The deputy pursued the vehicle through Buchanan and eventually onto southbound U.S. 31, the report states.
Michigan State Police troopers took over the pursuit at this point. The vehicle was reportedly pursued into Indiana on U.S. 31 at speeds over 120 mph.
The report states the suspect vehicle then crashed into a utility pole at the corner of Old Cleveland and Primrose and the driver was taken into custody at this time. The suspect was wearing his seatbelt and it is believed alcohol was involved, the report states.
The suspect was taken to Memorial Hospital in South Bend to be treated for minor injuries. He will be lodged in the St. Joseph County, Ind. jail and wait extradition to Michigan.