South Bend man arrested after allegedly leading pursuit in Miami County

MIAMI COUNTY, Ind. – A South Bend man was arrested Monday after allegedly leading police on a vehicle pursuit in Miami County, the Indiana State Police reported.

At 3:25 p.m., an Indiana State Trooper initiated a traffic stop on a Ford Explorer that was driving south on U.S. 31 near Miami C.R. 1050 South. The Explorer allegedly had a false and fictitious license plate, troopers said.

The driver of the Explorer, identified as 30-year-old Justin Fitch, failed to stop and allegedly began a pursuit, troopers said.

The chase ended when the Explorer crashed into a bean field on Miami C.R. 700 East, near S.R. 19.

Fitch left the Explorer and allegedly ran away from the scene on foot, troopers said.

Officers from the ISP, the Miami County Sheriff’s Office, and the Peru Police Department set up a perimeter.

Fitch surrendered a short time later and was taken into custody without incident, reports said.

Further investigation found that Fitch was allegedly driving on a suspended driver’s license with a prior conviction, troopers said.

Fitch was taken to the Miami County Jail and faces the following charges, troopers said:

• Resisting law enforcement with a motor vehicle
• Criminal mischievous
• Resisting law enforcement (non-vehicle)
• Driving while suspended with a prior conviction
• Aggressive driving
• Leaving the scene of a property damage crash
• Reckless driving