Early morning chase near Grissom Middle School, suspect captured after search
UPDATE: Abraham is currently being held at the St. Joseph County Jail, according to the South Bend Police Department.
MISHAWAKA, Ind - This morning, Mishawaka police sought after 37-year-old Dustin Abraham because he was a suspect in a vehicle arson.
That's when a chase began, putting a local school on high security alert.
He is about 5-foot-7, 165 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes.
The police chase ended near the school, then, Abraham took off running.
There's been increased security at Grissom Middle School today because of that.
A Mishawaka police sergeant spoke about the events leading up to the chase.
Mishawaka police were at a Family Express gas station on S. Union St. when they noticed something amiss.
Sergeant Steve Headley says they spotted a man in a black Honda, possibly linked to a local vehicle arson.
“One of our police officers were sitting in a parking lot, reviewing some paperwork and this person, who's name is Dustin Abraham, cut through the parking in front of him," Sergeant Headley said. "Our officer recognized him, knew of an arrest warrant, and tried to pull him over. That’s what started the pursuit."
The chase then took a turn near Grissom Middle School, where Abraham crashed his Honda into a drainage ditch near Kearn and Elm St.
Abraham got out of the car and ran away.
Penn-Harris Madison schools released a statement saying in part that there would be increased police presence near Grissom Middle School, and Madison Elementary School.
“So as a precaution, the St. Joseph County department, the Mishawaka Police Department, asked those schools to lock their facilities down and for the elementary schools to have indoor recess today while we were checking and looking in the area to try to locate Mr. Abraham,” said Headley.
Abraham has a criminal arrest warrant out of St. Joseph County and currently faces five charges including auto theft, domestic battery to name a couple.
He also has a violent criminal record.