Police Agencies Work Together to Arrest Man in Stolen Truck

A collaborative effort from the Indiana State Police, Marshall County Drug Task Force and several other agencies resulted in the arrest of a man who reportedly stole a vehicle out of Bremen. 

Indiana State Police troopers located a black 2004 GMC pickup at a gas station Thursday evening at the corner of Kern Road and U.S. 931 in South Bend.  The pickup had been reported stolen out of Bremen. 

The driver, later identified as 29-year-old Jared Hilty of Goshen, allegedly fled from troopers.  As Hilty started the pursuit with officers going the wrong way down U.S. 931, a trooper had to drive off the side of the road to avoid a collision, according to the Indiana State Police report.

Hilty’s vehicle went off the side of the road at the intersection of U.S. 931 and Roycroft Drive and continued through a soybean field and into a tree.  The impact caused the pickup to catch on fire. 

After a short foot pursuit, Hilty was taken into custody and taken to the St. Joseph County Jail. 

Hilty was arrested on preliminary felony charges of criminal recklessness, theft, and resisting law enforcement, plus misdemeanor charges of resisting law enforcement and driving while suspended with a prior conviction.  He was also wanted out of Elkhart County for a probation violation. 

The Indiana State Police was assisted by St. Joseph County Police Department, Starke County Sheriff’s Department, Bremen Police Department, Marshall County Drug Task Force, Southwest Fire, and South Bend EMS.

Suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.