Tip Leads To Pursuit of Burglary Suspect
On September 29th the Portage Police Department posted shots of a burglary suspect and the associated vehicle. These photos were taken from security camera footage during a recent burglary in the 7400 block of Industrial Avenue. The story and photos were picked up by RNS which was circulated everywhere.
At approximately 09:51AM on Friday October 2nd, 2020 the Porter County 911 Center received a call from a complainant advising that they were following a vehicle westbound on US Highway 6 near McCool Road that appeared to be same one from the released photos, according to Sgt. Rob Maynard of The Portage Police.
Portage Police Department officers were dispatched to the area in an attempt to intercept the vehicle. As the suspect vehicle neared the area of US Highway 6 and Augusta Boulevard it began making a series of erratic turns pulling in and out of business lots possibly attempting to elude the complainant, which it successfully did, Maynard said.
Officers saturated the area and were able to locate the suspect vehicle as it was traveling northbound on Willowcreek Road at Mulberry Avenue. As a single officer in an unmarked police utility vehicle was directing backup units to his location the suspect vehicle began to flee without the officer even activating his emergency lights. Backup units were able to quickly close on the suspect vehicle allowing for fully marked units to take over the pursuit.
The suspect vehicle fled northbound over the Willowcreek Bypass and onto westbound I-80/94. Officers were able to see the license plate number from the paper temporary plate in the suspect’s rear window but it did not return to the vehicle being pursued. The suspect vehicle continued fleeing into Lake County where the chase was joined by the Lake County Sheriff’s Department Aviation Unit’s helicopter. As the pursuit crossed into Illinois officers backed off and allowed the helicopter to monitor in hopes the suspect would reduce his speed.
Moments later the suspect vehicle collided with a tow-truck resulting in no injuries and minor damage to the tow-truck, Maynard told RNS. This collision also resulted in the suspect vehicle sustaining a flat rear tire. This flat tire caused the vehicle to slow and Portage Police units re-engaged in the pursuit and quickly executed a Pursuit Intervention Technique (PIT maneuver) bringing the chase to a conclusion.
The driver of the vehicle was taken into custody without further incident. He has been identified as William Lee Davis 45 years old of South Bend, IN. The Portage Police Depart is filing charges of Fleeing Law Enforcement Level 6 Felony, Criminal Recklessness B Misdemeanor, and Reckless Driving C Misdemeanor. The suspect vehicle, a white 2009 Mitsubishi Outlander, was impounded and a warrant is being sought to conduct a search of the interior for evidence relating to the previous burglary.
Portage Police thanked the Porter County Sheriff’s Department, Indiana State Police, Lake County Sheriff’s Department Aviation Unit, and Illinois State Police for their assistance in bringing this dangerous situation to a conclusion.
SUSPECT: William Lee Davis
DATE OF BIRTH: 01-07-1975
ADDRESS: South Bend, IN
CHARGES: Fleeing Law Enforcement Level 6 Felony, Criminal Recklessness B Misdemeanor, Reckless Driving C Misdemeanor.
