Florida man leads local authorities on destructive chase through multiple counties

FULTON COUNTY, Ind. -- A high-speed chase on U.S. 31 Monday night ended with a Florida man crashing an SUV through a fence and into a Marshall County pasture before continuing north on the highway into St. Joseph County. 

The driver, later identified as 36-year-old Sean Butler, of Naples, Fla., then turned west onto U.S. 20 where the chase concluded near the 80/90 Toll Road, just a few miles south of the Michigan state line.

Authorities say a passenger fled the vehicle and was not located.

The pursuit began when a Fulton County Sheriff's Deputy tried to pull the black SUV over for speeding north on U.S. 31.

"The driver refused to stop and continued north at a high rate of speed," authorities said "The pursuit entered into Marshal County where the vehicle left the roadway and drove through a fence and pasture in the 19000 block of 19th Road. The vehicle then continued north on U.S. 31 into St Joseph County."

During the pursuit, stop sticks were successfully deployed several times and impacted the driving of the vehicle. 

Butler was taken to the Fulton County Jail and booked on charges of Resisting Law Enforcement with a Vehicle, Criminal Recklessness with a Vehicle, Reckless Driving causing Property Damage, Leaving the Scene of a Property Damage Accident, Possession of Marijuana, and Possession of Paraphernalia.