Multi-county police pursuit ends in arrest of wanted woman; male suspect still at large

A high-speed, multi-county police pursuit early this morning (Mon. Apr. 6) resulted in damage to two police cruisers, the arrest of a wanted woman carrying an infant, and an ongoing search for a male suspect who fled the scene.

According to Lieutenant Detective Les McFarland, the incident began at approximately 3:20 a.m. when a Marshall County officer initiated a pursuit near U.S. 31 and Veterans Parkway. The suspect vehicle fled northbound, turning down 1st Road and continuing north onto Ironwood Road.

During the chase, a Bremen Police Department unit attempted to deploy stop sticks on 1st Road, east of Ironwood. While maneuvering to set up the device, the officer accidentally backed his squad car into a guardrail, causing significant damage to the rear passenger side of the cruiser.

The pursuit continued across county lines into St. Joseph County, where the suspect vehicle turned down Martindale, a dead-end road. In an attempt to evade capture, the suspect drove around a house. As the vehicle emerged, its front passenger side collided with the front passenger side of a Marshall County squad car. The impact damaged the cruiser's bumper and pushed in its brush guard, though the vehicle remained drivable. The St. Joseph County Police Department was called in to complete a crash report for the collision, which occurred on private property.

Following the crash, the suspect vehicle continued to flee. Officers reported seeing the occupants throwing items out of the moving car. The chase proceeded further into St. Joseph County, eventually reaching a residential area west of Ironwood Road and north of Ireland Road, where officers temporarily lost sight of the vehicle.

The suspect vehicle was later located abandoned. Shortly after, St. Joseph County authorities found a woman carrying an 8-month-old baby nearby. She was detained and eventually admitted to being the passenger in the fleeing vehicle.

Police identified the woman as Dawn M. Roush. She was taken into custody and lodged on an outstanding felony warrant out of Starke County. The infant was safely turned over to a family member.

The male driver of the vehicle fled the area on foot. Law enforcement deployed drones and K-9 units to search the vicinity, but they were unable to locate him. Officers also searched the areas where items were reportedly thrown from the vehicle during the pursuit, but nothing was recovered.

Lieutenant Detective McFarland stated that the case remains under active investigation. Authorities have not yet released a description of the male suspect.

Readers are reminded that charging information supported by an affidavit of probable cause is merely an allegation that a crime has been committed, and there is only probable cause to believe that a crime has been committed. They are presumed innocent throughout the proceedings, entitled to be represented by counsel, and entitled to a trial jury at which the State is obligated to provide proof beyond a reasonable doubt before a judgment of guilt may be made.