Vehicle Pursuit Near Indiana-Ohio State Line Ends With Multi-State Arrests

A vehicle pursuit near the Indiana-Ohio state line early Saturday morning ended with multiple arrests after suspects fled on foot into fields and wooded areas in Jay County before several were apprehended in Mercer County, Ohio.

According to scanner traffic monitored by County Pulse News and HomeGrown Alerts, the pursuit ended shortly after 1:00 a.m. Saturday near 2 North and 8 East in Jay County when the suspect vehicle crashed. Several occupants reportedly fled from the vehicle on foot.

Jay County Sheriff’s deputies launched a search and began tracking suspects with a K9 unit from the crash scene.

The first suspect was located in a field west of the crash site and taken into custody at gunpoint around 1:11 a.m. That suspect reportedly told deputies there were between 7 and 8 people inside the vehicle.

Authorities later deployed a drone around 1:35 a.m. to assist in the search. Heat signatures detected in wooded areas south of the crash site helped guide officers to 2 additional suspects hiding in a field. Both were also taken into custody at gunpoint.

The Portland Police Department later confirmed in a press release that K9 Spyke assisted in locating and apprehending 3 of the fleeing suspects. The Mercer County Sheriff's Office also assisted during the incident.

Mercer County Charges

According to public court records in Mercer County, 5 suspects were charged:

Isaac Curtis Homan, 19 — Obstructing Justice, a 2nd-degree misdemeanor, and Offenses Involving Minors, a 1st-degree misdemeanor. Bonds were set at $7,500 and $10,000.

Wayne Thomas Hemmelgarn, 18 — Obstructing Justice, a 2nd-degree misdemeanor, and Offenses Involving Minors, a 1st-degree misdemeanor. Bonds were set at $7,500 and $10,000.

Jasper Linus Hartzell, 19 — Obstructing Justice, a 2nd-degree misdemeanor, and Offenses Involving Minors, a 1st-degree misdemeanor. Bonds were set at $7,500 and $10,000.

Cassandra Lee Cook, 21 — Obstructing Justice, a 2nd-degree misdemeanor, with a $7,500 bond.

Joseph Adam McCord, 18 — Failure to Comply with Order or Signal of a Police Officer, a 4th-degree felony related to fleeing law enforcement. No bond had been set.

Court records indicate several suspects had bonded out as of publication and no longer appeared on the Mercer County jail roster. Under Ohio law, defendants typically must post 10% of the bond amount for release.

McCord faces the most serious charge connected to the incident and remained jailed without bond as of publication.

This story is based on scanner traffic monitored by County Pulse News and HomeGrown Alerts, a press release from the Portland Police Department, and public court recor

ds from Mercer County, Ohio.