Early this morning a multi-agency vehicle pursuit led to the arrest of a Columbus man.  According to Trooper Matt Simmons, at approximately 3:17 this morning a Bartholomew County Sheriff’s deputy observed a man leaving the Circle K in Taylorsville and knew the man had a suspended driver’s license.  The man got into the driver’s side of a blue 1994 Cadillac Deville and started north on U.S. 31.  As the deputy attempted to make a traffic stop the vehicle entered northbound I-65 and sped away.  The pursuit exited I-65 at exit 80 and then continued east on S.R. 252 where at approximately 3:24 the deputy lost sight of the vehicle and terminated the pursuit.  At approximately 3:30 Tpr. Simmons observed a vehicle traveling westbound on CR 800N east of St. Louis Crossing and clocked the vehicle at 77 mph.  As the vehicle went by Tpr. Simmons was able to determine that vehicle to be the one who had eluded the Bartholomew County deputy just a few minutes earlier.

Tpr. Simmons pursued the vehicle westbound on 800N at speeds of up to 115 mph.  The pursuit ran through several county roads and the vehicle eventually went westbound CR 550N over to U.S. 31 where it then went south.  Columbus Police Officers deployed Stop Sticks near CR 450N but the vehicle avoided contact and continued south on U.S. 31 eventually turning into Woodlawn Park Subdivision where it drove off the roadway through a field to CR 200W and started south at which time Tpr. Simmons lost sight of the vehicle at approximately 3:42 and terminated the pursuit.

A short time later a passerby informed a Columbus Police Officer he saw a vehicle fitting the description of the one involved in the pursuit parked at the Bulldog Lanes Bowling Alley off Indianapolis Road.  Officers located the vehicle set up a perimeter and called for a K-9 unit to assist.  At approximately 3:58 a.m. Tpr. Seth Davidson observed the suspect walking eastbound toward U.S. 31 and took him into custody without further incident.  Arrested was 23 year old Michael Shane Walker who was transported to Bartholomew County Jail where he is now facing charges of Resisting Law Enforcement with a Vehicle (Class D Felony), Resisting Law Enforcement by Fleeing (Class A Misdemeanor), Criminal Recklessness with a Vehicle (Class A Misdemeanor), Reckless Driving (Class B Misdemeanor), and Driving While Suspended-Prior Conviction (Class A Misdemeanor).

Persons arrested are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.