In Marshall County Superior Court No. 1 on Wednesday, 36-year-old Donald Dickson Jr. of Plymouth, was sentenced by agreement to 27 years imprisonment in the Indiana Department of Correction.
According to a press release provided by Marshall County Prosecuting Attorney Nelson Chipman, the sentence was entered in exchange for Dickson pleading guilty to one count of criminal confinement as a Level 2 Felony and to being a habitual offender under Indiana’s sentencing enhancement statute.
The State agreed to dismiss the remaining low-level felonies charged in the same case. Judge Robert O. Bowen approved the agreement between Chief Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Tami Napier and defense attorney Tom Black.
According to the release, Dickson admitted in open court that on July 22, 2017, Sergeant Trent Stouder of the Bremen Police Department was on routine patrol in the Lake of the Woods area when he observed a speeding vehicle.Sergeant Stouder activated his emergency lights and sirens in an attempt to get the vehicle pull over. However, the vehicle failed to stop and sped up, starting a pursuit that reached speeds of over 100 mph at times.
Officer Troy Ulch of the Bremen Police Department and Sergeant Nick Laffoon and Deputy Jonathan Bryant of the Marshall County Sheriff’s Department assisted in the pursuit. The pursuit reportedly ended after the vehicle became stuck in a cornfield when the driver lost control attempting a turn.
As police approached the vehicle, they apparently recognized the driver as Dickson from previous encounters. The release goes onto say Dickson refused to get out of the vehicle and held his passenger, Angela Baker, hostage with a box cutter-type knife while making demands that police let him go.
Deputy Bryant then reportedly broke the driver’s side window and tased Dickson in order to subdue him. It was later determined that Dickson was driving a vehicle that was stolen from a car dealer in southern Indiana. Dickson was immediately lodged in the Marshall County Jail where he remained until sentencing.
The prosecutor shared that he was pleased with the outstanding work of police officers who handled this case and stated that respect for law enforcement is a cornerstone of a safe community. He said resisting law enforcement in this manner, particularly when there is a victim in the car, is extremely dangerous and must be prosecuted aggressively.
Chipman said the fact that Dickson chose to confine his passenger with a deadly weapon, following a harrowing pursuit speaks to the level of violence he was prepared to use to evade police and added that his status as habitual offender demonstrates that prison is the only option for him.
