Police pursuit ends with crash in Avilla

AVILLA, Ind. (WANE) - Indiana State Police attempted to pull over a vehicle on I-69 in Steuben County Wednesday morning before the suspect fled and hours later crashed in Avilla.

According to Troopers, the initial traffic stop began just north of Ashley on I-69 at approximately 12:15 a.m. Trooper David Poe stopped a 2000 Pontiac 4-door on I-69 southbound in the area of the 140 mile marker for speeding and unsafe lane movement.

Poe had made contact with the driver, Chad M. Schuch, 33, of rural Angola, and was waiting for him to provide his driver’s license when the driver put the car in drive and sped away for an unknown reason; he soon exited the interstate at U.S. 6.

Schuch then went across U.S. 6 and into Kendallville in Noble County before police terminated the pursuit near Walmart.

Then, as Troopers told NewsChannel 15, around 1:30 a.m. Kendallville Police located the same vehicle. That's when they tried another traffic stop and the suspect took off heading south on County Road 1000 E, just south of Kendallville. It was determined the suspect was going toward Avilla.

ISP did not say what speeds the pursuit reached. Schuch ended up running a stop sign on Minor Road and Albion Road in Avilla, according to police.

His vehicle then went through the intersection and into a driveway before slamming head-on into a tree about 50 yards off the road. The vehicle narrowly missed a privacy fence and barn.

Emergency workers extricated the man from the vehicle before Parkview Samaritan transported the man in serious condition to the hospital with a broken leg.

Officials said Schuch was not wearing his seatbelt and alcohol was believed to be a factor in the crash.

Police did not say what charges the man might face.

The incident remains under investigation.