A 23-year-old Illinois man was arrested Thursday after leading Indiana State Police on a pursuit in a stolen Jeep.
Troopers were patrolling in Michigan City at around 4:15 p.m. when they observed a black Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT with Illinois plates. A check of the license plate attached to the Jeep returned to a different vehicle.
As the trooper attempted to follow the vehicle, the driver of the Jeep suddenly accelerated away at a high rate of speed. A pursuit was initiated as the vehicle fled south on Franklin St. before entering I-94 westbound. The Jeep exited I-94 and drove southbound on SR 49 to the Indiana Toll Road. As the vehicle was attempting to enter the Toll Road, it struck “stop sticks” that had been placed across the roadway. The Jeep continued to flee westbound on the toll road, driving on a flat tire. The driver eventually stopped at the 27 mile-marker where he and a male passenger were taken into custody without further incident.
It was determined that the Jeep had been reported stolen in Plainfield, Illinois via a Facebook sales scam. The driver of the Jeep matched the description of the suspect in that scam. Troopers also learned that this was not the driver’s first time fleeing from law enforcement while using a vehicle.
The passenger was released and not charged. The driver, identified as 23 year-old Keyvon Johnson, from Park Forest, IL, was transported to the LaPorte County Jail. He is preliminarily charged in Indiana with resisting law enforcement with a vehicle (Prior Conviction), theft, reckless driving, possession of marijuana.