The Indiana State Police have released a report stating that a Whitley County K9 was killed in a crash that occurred during a multi-county pursuit Wednesday afternoon.
As was mentioned in an earlier article, the Plymouth Police Department reported that an armed carjacking of a black 2016 Chrysler occurred in the LifePlex Gym parking lot, near US 30 and Pioneer Drive, around 3:30 p.m.
According to authorities, an Indiana State Trooper saw the vehicle traveling eastbound on US 30 near Foxfarm Road shortly thereafter. Once other police officers arrived, a high-risk stop was reportedly attempted near Meijer Drive on US 30 in Kosciusko County.
Police say the Chrysler pulled off to the side of the road, stopped and let out a passenger. The driver then apparently proceeded to speed off, continuing eastbound on US 30.
Officers from several police departments joined in on the chase while the driver of the suspect vehicle refused to stop. The pursuit continued eastbound on US 30 until it eventually entered Whitley County.
The official ISP report goes on to say that a Whitley County Deputy positioned his car, a 2019 Dodge Charger, in the intersection of US 30 and CR 450 West.
The Deputy set up stop sticks in an attempt to keep the Chrysler from fleeing any further. However, the driver attempted to avoid the stop sticks and collided broadside with the passenger side of the police vehicle.
The collision caused the Charger to go into westbound lanes of US 30 and burst into flames. Officers were unable to rescue a K9 patrol dog that was inside before it was too late. The animal passed away on the scene.
The Whitley County Deputy was unharmed but the driver of the Chrysler received minor injuries and is being treated a local hospital. The identity of the driver was not released in ISP’s update.
Both eastbound and westbound lanes of US 30 remained closed for the investigation and the removal of the vehicles.
The pursuit and crash involved officers from the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Office, Warsaw Police Department, Whitley County Sheriff’s Department, Pierceton Police Department, Winona Lake Police Department and the Indiana State Police.
