NORTH VERNON, Ind. – An Indianapolis man was arrested over the weekend after leading law enforcement on a 23-mile car chase, with speeds reaching 105 mph.
The North Vernon Police Department (NVPD) and Jennings County Sheriff’s Department were dispatched to the area of North State Street on Sunday at 4:10 p.m. after the suspect, Joshua D. Ahern, allegedly left the scene of a crash in the area of N. State Road 7 and Geneva Road, an NVPD spokesperson says.
An officer tried to pull the suspect over on W. Franklin Street, but he supposedly fled, nearly striking a pedestrian before driving through front yards on Bay Street.
The man then led police on a car chase south from North Vernon to Madison. The Madison Police Department tried to stop the pursuit by using tire deflation devices, however, they were unsuccessful. Ahern finally lost control of his vehicle and crashed into two empty parked cars. The collision caused a full-size van to be forced through a front wall of a business front, police say.
Ahern was arrested by police and faces charges of driving without a license, operating without financial responsibility with a prior conviction, leaving the scene of an accident, criminal recklessness, resisting law enforcement with a vehicle, reckless driving, and aggressive driving.
