Jason Patrick Spriggs

WINONA LAKE — A North Manchester man is facing charges after a high-speed pursuit that began in Winona Lake.

Jason Patrick Spriggs, 36, 802 W. Thorn St., North Manchester, is being charged with resisting law enforcement, a level 6 felony; obstruction of justice, a level 6 felony; driving while suspended, a class A misdemeanor; and reckless driving, a class C misdemeanor. 

According to the affidavit of probable cause, on Sunday, March 3, an officer with the Winona Lake Police Department was patrolling the streets when he observed a driver in a white 2009 Toyota fail to use a turn signal before making a turn onto 2nd Street. Following this, the driver of the Toyota then failed to yield to an oncoming vehicle, nearly causing a collision. 

The officer activated his emergency lights and attempted to conduct a traffic stop. The driver of the Toyota ignored the officer’s signals and continued driving, disregarding stop signs, driving left of the center line and operating the vehicle at speeds of up to 100 mph.

Police deployed stop sticks, which flattened both tires on the right side of the vehicle; however, the Toyota continued on, at speeds of up to 85 mph, disregarding a traffic control device and driving left of center. 

The two deflated tires fell apart and started smoking, at which time the driver of the Toyota stopped the vehicle at SR 13 and CR 650E. 

The operator of the vehicle was identified as Spriggs, who has a suspended license. There were two passengers in the vehicle, a male and a female. The female passenger gave officers a fictitious name. 

Spriggs told police that he had ingested 2 grams of heroin during the pursuit. He was attempting to purge the heroin from his body by vomiting. Officers administered Narcan to Spriggs and transported him the Kosciusko Community Hospital where he was medically cleared. 

During the pursuit, officers observed an item being thrown out of the Toyota’s passenger side window. Officers attempted to locate the item after the pursuit, with no success. 

Spriggs was booked at the Kosciusko County Jail on Monday, March 4, on a $10,500 surety and cash bond.