Charges Pending for Pursuit, Standoff Suspect

Donald Dickson, Jr.

Formal charges are pending against Donald Dickson, Jr. who allegedly led police on a vehicle pursuit and held a woman against her will.

According to the affidavit of probable cause, Dickson led police on a chase after he did not stop when a Bremen police officer attempted to pull him over for speeding in the area of West Shore Drive at Lake of the Woods on Saturday evening. The officer noted in the document that the pursuit covered 17.1 miles and speeds reached in excess of 100 mph at times. Police say the driver did not stop at any posted stop signs, disregarded a hidden intersection and drove through three residential yards. Court documents indicate that people were enjoying a large family gathering when Dickson allegedly traveled through the event at a high rate of speed. No one was injured.

After Dickson’s car became stuck in cornfield, he pulled the female passenger close to him and pressed a knife against her throat, police say. A stand-off ensued with demands of a getaway truck. After several minutes, he released the hostage and continued to disobey police commands, according to court documents. The original press release stated that Dickson was taken into custody after a taser was deployed. The car he was driving was reported stolen in Austin, Indiana.

He told police he swallowed a large amount of narcotics during the pursuit, but tests proved that to be false, court documents say.

Dickson remains in the Marshall County Jail on preliminary charges of criminal confinement with a deadly weapon, theft-receiving stolen property, resisting law enforcement in a vehicle, resisting law enforcement, reckless driving, operating a vehicle while intoxicated endangering a person, and operator never licensed. Formal charges are pending. His bond is set at $50,000.