JOHNSON COUNTY — Johnson County Sheriff’s deputies arrested a Hope man on multiple charges after the report of a disturbance in Whiteland.
Deputies were sent to the 5200 block of North County Road 525E in Whiteland at 10:40 a.m. Tuesday. Arriving there, they met with Shannon Hobson, 29, Seymour and Justin Smith, 27, Columbus, who told deputies that two people had stolen their vehicle and fled, said Johnson County Sheriff Duane Burgess. The vehicle description was a white 2010 Ford Escape.
A Greenwood police officer located the vehicle at Main Street and County Road 325E in Greenwood, and attempted to stop the vehicle, but the driver would not stop, Burgess said.
The driver was later identified as Antoine D. Ford, 31, Hope, Burgess said. He led Greenwood police, Johnson County Sheriff deputies, Indiana State Police, Indianapolis police and Beech Grove police through the streets of southern Marion County, until he bailed out of the vehicle at the Beech Grove Middle School and fled on foot, Burgess said. Ford was caught a short distance from where he bailed out of the car, Burgess said.
It was discovered that Ford had another occupant in the car with him when he left the initial scene at County Road 525E in Johnson County, Burgess said. The female with him was identified as Haley Burton, 20, Columbus, who left the vehicle on Main Street in Greenwood when the initial traffic stop was attempted, Burgess said.
Police have determined that Hobson, Smith, Burton and Ford had been in Bartholomew County possibly using illegal narcotics in an area motel, Burgess said. Before reaching Johnson County, they had planned to leave I-65 at the Edinburgh exit, but did not do so after seeing a police car in the area, Burgess said. Instead, they exited the interstate eastbound on to Whiteland Road.
In that area, near County Road 525E, Smith was hit in the head with an object by Ford, Burgess said.
The sheriff said Ford is not cooperating with law enforcement, along with Hobson and Smith.
Ford was arrested on preliminary charges of auto theft, battery and felony resisting arrest, Burgess said. Ford also is wanted on a pending Bartholomew County warrant and is currently on probation in Bartholomew County.
Burgess said Ford was taken by ambulance to an area hospital, as deputies believe he ingested illegal narcotics prior to his arrest, Burgess said.
For more on this story, see Wednesday’s Republic.
