A police chase that reached speeds of 100 mph began in Edinburgh and careened through Bartholomew County, ending with the driver’s arrest in Brown County on multiple driving- related offenses.
Thomas R. Brockman, 43, 1197 Nelson Ridge Road, a Columbus address located in Brown County, was arrested by Bartholomew County Sheriff’s deputies and Indiana State Police on 17 charges, including preliminary charges of:
Two counts of criminal recklessness with a vehicle
Two counts of driving while suspended with a prior conviction
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Three counts of resisting law enforcement with a vehicle
Two counts of aggressive driving
Two counts of failure to stop after an accident
Resisting law enforcement
Reckless driving
Criminal recklessness
Three body attachments out of Bartholomew County
The chase began at about 7 p.m. Monday shortly after Edinburgh police stopped Brockman’s blue-green Subaru Outback while investigating a suspicious-person call, deputies said.
While attempting to get information, Brockman sped away at a high rate of speed, deputies said. A second Edinburgh officer pursued the vehicle south on U.S. 31, joined by a Bartholomew County deputy who was near Taylorsville. As the chase proceeded west on County Road 650N, Brockman turned onto Ohio Ridge Road, and then at Mauxferry Road drove south at a high rate of speed, deputies said.
Other deputies and state troopers joined the pursuit as the suspect turned west on Georgetown Road, south to County Road 600W and then onto Baker Hollow Road.
At State Road 46, Brockman drove around a closed gate into a wooded area, deputies said. One of the deputies, on foot, spotted the vehicle but Brockman continued to flee while calling out to the deputy that he had a firearm, deputies said.
At one point, deputies said Brockman drove toward deputies who were on foot, almost hitting them.
Brockman then left the wooded area, driving toward State Road 46 where Edinburgh Police Chief David Mann was waiting, deputies said.
Mann pursued Brockman, who was heading eastbound while driving in the westbound lane of State Road 46, deputies said. In order to keep Brockman from driving into oncoming traffic, Mann collided with Brockman’s vehicle, deputies said.
Brockman then headed west and the pursuit continued into Brown County with Indiana State Police leading the pursuit with Bartholomew County deputies then in a support role. When troopers lost sight of the vehicle, officers stopped the pursuit, deputies said.
However, an Indiana State Trooper saw the vehicle at Georgetown Road and County Road 500W still driving at a high rate of speed without working taillights.
Brown County and Bartholomew County deputies waited for Brockman east of Nelson Ridge Road, attempting to deploy stop sticks, deputies said. Brockman went around the stop sticks by going off-road but returned to the road as deputies and troopers tried to cut him off. As the vehicle continued westbound, the vehicle went over stop sticks set out by state police.
Despite having all four tires deflated from the stop sticks, Brockman continued to flee until the Subaru’s engine blew, and he stopped after hitting a guardrail, deputies said. Brockman ran into a wooded area, where deputies and troopers arrested him.
Brockman is being held in the Bartholomew County Jail in lieu of $73,600 bond, jail officials said.
In July, Brockman was involved in another pursuit with deputies that resulted in an arrest, although charges in that incident are still pending, deputies said. Brockman had also previously fled from deputies and evaded arrest last week.
“His behavior continues to put the public at risk,” Bartholomew County Sheriff Matt Myers said of Brockman.
All told, five police agencies were involved, including an Indiana conservation officer.
No injuries were reported to Brockman, bystanders, drivers or police in the incident, deputies said.
Bartholomew County Prosecutor Bill Nash will determine what criminal charges, if any, will be filed.
