Bargersville police find stolen car after police chase in south

A Franklin man was arrested Wednesday after a police chase in Marion County.

Jimmy R. Smith, 30, was arrested for resisting police with a vehicle, vehicle theft and trespassing.

A white Ford F-350 was stolen from a residence in southern Johnson County at 12:45 p.m. Wednesday. At about 1:30 p.m., Bargersville police spotted the vehicle on northbound I-69 near Southport Road, police said in a Facebook post.

The officer initiated a traffic stop, where the vehicle initially complied but later drove off north on I-69. A dashcam photo shared with the Facebook post shows the truck literally burning rubber during the chase, as a fire started coming from the rear tire area.

The pursuit continued until the vehicle experienced a “serious mechanical failure” near the intersection of I-69 and Epler Avenue, police said.

Police saw the stolen vehicle turn into a nearby business before the suspect fled on foot. The officer gave chase on foot and arrested the suspect shortly afterward, police said.

The driver, identified as Smith, was taken into custody without further incident, police said.

According to online court records, Smith has fled from police several times over the past decade, most recently in 2020 when charges against him were upgraded due to his status as a habitual offender.

In April, Smith was also charged with escape for tampering with an ankle bracelet he was wearing in connection with the 2020 conviction.

No formal charges have been filed against him for Wednesday’s incident, and escape charges are still pending in court.