COLUMBUS, Ind. — Bartholomew County Sheriff deputies arrested an Indianapolis man after seeing a stolen 2011 Ford E450 U-Haul truck traveling south on U.S. 31.
Sheriff’s Sgt. Andrew Whipker saw the truck at 5:44 p.m. Sunday, deputies said. As the truck turned westbound onto Fiesbeck Drive, Whipker attempted a traffic stop;
however, the vehicle failed to yield. As Whipker pursued the vehicle in the area of Harvest
Meadows, a passenger, identified as Brian Petro, 37, Indianapolis, jumped from the truck. Petro was taken into custody without incident.
While Whipker attempted to locate the U-Haul truck, he observed it traveling westbound
on West County Road 450N toward U.S. 31. The vehicle eventually stopped on West County Road 400N.
The driver, identified as Joseph Mark Harshbarger, 37, Indianapolis, was taken to the Bartholomew County Jail on preliminary charges of:
–Resisting law enforcement with a vehicle
–Possession of stolen property
–Possession of a controlled substance
–Driving while suspended – prior
He remains in BCJ in lieu of $25,000 bond.
Petro was taken to the Bartholomew County Jail on a preliminary charge of:
–Criminal trespass.
He has since been released.
Primary Deputy: Sgt. Whipker
Assisting: Deputy Ryland Fluhr, Deputy Frank Munoz, Deputy Ryan Smith, Deputy Nathan
Holland, Deputy Max Medina, Deputy Nicholi Burkholder
Other agencies on scene: Columbus Police Department, 31 Wrecker
