Burglary Suspect Caught Then Steals Police Car
On Friday August 28th at approximately 3:00 P.M.; Michigan City Patrol Officers were dispatched to the 800 Block of Manhattan Street for a burglary in progress. Information was obtained that the suspect had fled the area and a description was provided to responding officers. Officer Garrett McDaniel, Officer Brian Wright and Corporal Greg Miller all responded to this call for service.
Officer McDaniel was able to locate a person matching the description of the burglary suspect in the 200 Block of West 9th Street. When confronted by Officer McDaniel, the suspect fled on foot leading Officer McDaniel on a short foot pursuit through some backyards in the area. Officer McDaniel was able to apprehend the suspect who was cuffed with his hands behind his back and seat belted in the backseat of Officer McDaniel’s marked police vehicle.
Officer McDaniel was inventorying the property of the suspect on the trunk lid of his vehicle when he observed that the suspect had managed to maneuver his handcuffs to the front of his body. The suspect then jumped into the driver seat and fled the area in the stolen police vehicle.
Officer Wright and Corporal Miller pursued the suspect as he led police on a short vehicle pursuit through the west side of Michigan City. The pursuit came to an end when the suspect drove down a dead-end ramp on the north side of the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) station near Washington Park. The suspect was then again taken into custody and was transported to the Michigan City Police Department.
The suspect was identified as 29-year-old Jacob R. DEFELICE of 1403 Monroe Street in La Porte. DEFELICE was found to have active warrants out of the La Porte City Police Department and Elkhart County for Resisting Law Enforcement, Operating While Intoxicated and various drug charges. DEFELICE was also charged with Escape as a Level 5-Felony, Vehicle Theft as a Level 5-Felony, Resisting Law Enforcement as a Level 6-Felony and A- Misdemeanor, False Identity Statement A-Misdemeanor, Driving While Suspended A-Misdemeanor, and Criminal Recklessness B-Misdemeanor. DEFELICE is currently being housed at the La Porte County Jail with NO BOND. DEFELICE will have his initial court appearance on Tuesday September 1st in La Porte County Superior Court #1 in front of Judge Michael Bergerson. The investigation into the original burglary charge is still ongoing.
During the short vehicle pursuit, no personal injuries or property damage was reported. The police vehicle that was stolen was placed back into service later that evening.
Chief Dion Campbell stated, “We are very fortunate that this individual did not injure anyone or cause an accident during these very reckless decisions that he made. As with all pursuits that occur, the command staff within the Michigan City Police Department will review the events and circumstances leading up to this incident. We will then evaluate the need for any policy changes to assure that something like this does not happen again.”
