Multi-county pursuit leads to arrest of Florida man

Tuesday, October 1, 2024 at 1:11 PM

By Wes Dehne

Sean M. Butler, 36, of Navarre, Fla., faces multiple charges after allegedly leading police on a high-speed chase that spanned three counties and came to an end at the Michigan state line.

Sparks were flying Monday night as the driver of an SUV fled from police in a pursuit on U.S. 31.

The chase began in Fulton County at approximately 9:39 p.m., when Deputy Ben Reason attempted to stop the northbound SUV for speeding. The driver, later identified as 36-year-old Sean M. Butler, of Navarre, Fla., allegedly refused to stop and continued north at a high rate of speed.

The pursuit entered Marshall County, where the vehicle left the roadway and drove through a fence and pasture in the 19000 block of 19th Road. The property owner later reported that his horses had gotten out as a result.

The vehicle continued north on U.S. 31 into St. Joseph County and then west on U.S. 20, where it finally stopped near the 80/90 Toll Road, just a few miles south of the Michigan state line.

Throughout the pursuit, stop sticks were successfully deployed several times causing damage to the vehicle. At multiple times, pursuing officers reported seeing sparks flying out from under the vehicle – either from losing tires or dragging wire from the fence. Police additionally reported seeing items thrown from the vehicle during the pursuit.

Butler was taken into custody without further incident, however, a passenger who fled the vehicle into a cornfield was not located. Fulton County Sheriff Travis Heishman reports that a drone could not be deployed in an attempt to locate that suspect due to being in close proximity to the South Bend International Airport.

Butler was transported back to the Fulton County Jail and booked on preliminary charges of resisting law enforcement with a vehicle, criminal recklessness with a vehicle, reckless driving causing property damage, leaving the scene of a property damage crash, possession of marijuana and possession of paraphernalia.

Assisting the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office were the Indiana State Police and numerous other agencies in North Central Indiana.