Merrillville Police Release Body Cam Footage Of Search After Pursuit
On 03/13/2021 at approximately 11:37PM Merrillville Police Officers were dispatched to a suspicious vehicle call, according to Assistant Chief Kosta Nuses. The said vehicle subsequently fled from officers, leading officers in a pursuit. The fleeing vehicle went off the roadway in the 9300 Block of Mississippi into a field, where the driver exited and fled on foot. After a brief search officers heard the man yelling for help. A drone utilizing thermal imaging confirmed the man’s location.
After being taken into custody the man informed the officer that he had a passenger with him that fled as well. Although the officer didn’t observe anybody else in the vehicle, he ultimately did acknowledge the driver’s claim. The officer requested that the assisting drone do another sweep of the area based on the driver’s claim that his passenger, whom he identified as Steffani Sanders. Steffani Sanders is said to have gone missing since this incident, Nuses stated.
Hours later, officers were still out in the area looking for Steffani Sanders with the assistance of a K9 officer. The police K9 performed a search of the area with negative results.
There’s been speculation as to whether or not officers checked for Steffani Sanders that evening. These are two video clips, taken directly from officers’ body worn cameras during this incident. They provide footage of officers acknowledging the claim of Steffani Sanders being out there along with footage of active searching for her. Merrillville officers, along with other agencies, have worked and continue to work on this case.
Steffani Sanders is described as an African American female, approximately 5’06 and 120 pounds, last seen wearing camouflage pants and jacket, dark boots with rubber soles, a black face covering, and a headscarf. A recent picture of Steffani, in which she is believed to be wearing the same head scarf is at the start of the video.
The investigation is active and if anyone has any information regarding the whereabouts of Steffani Sanders, please contact the Merrillville Police Department at (219) 769-3722.
