By AARON MUELLER
Dowagiac Daily News

CASSOPOLIS – One crazy night of driving will equate to 90 days in Cass County Jail for an Elkhart, Ind., man.

Joseph Cole, 32, was sentenced in Cass County Circuit Court on Friday, June 18, to two years of probation with the first 90 days in jail with credit for three days served in connection to his guilty plea to fourth-degree fleeing of police and attempting to resist or obstruct a police officer.

Charges stemmed from an incident in October 2009 when a Cass County deputy sheriff pulled Cole over at U.S. 12 and Calvin Center Road in Union on suspicion of a hit-and-run.
The officer suspected he was intoxicated, and Cole sped away.

A high-speed chase ensued with speeds reaching 100 mph.

Cole then drove into a driveway and made a U-turn back onto the roadway, narrowly missing hitting the home.

After finally being stopped by police, he jumped out of the vehicle and fled on foot.

When officers caught up with Cole, a physical confrontation ensued, ending with an officer stunning him with a Taser. One officer was injured in the tussle.

Cole’s attorney, James Miller, requested no jail time so Cole could hold onto his job, but Judge Michael Dodge cited Cole’s previous driving with suspended license offenses and failing to appear in court when giving him the jail sentence.

Also on June 18:
• Johnny Williamson, a 31-year-old Marcellus resident, received a three- to 20-year prison term on two methamphetamine cases.

In April he sold the drug to an undercover police informant.

Four days later, he was pulled over for a traffic violation and less than one gram of meth was found under the driver’s seat.

• David Hamilton of Grand Junction, Colo., was sentenced to five years probation with the first 270 days in the Cass County Jail for failing to pay child support.

Hamilton owes more than $50,000, making only 14 payments in 22 years.