Bobby Edwards

SYRACUSE — Bobby Joe Edwards, 30, who told police his address is 15012 S. County Line Road, Syracuse, is facing two different charges of auto theft following a police pursuit Friday evening, March 3, and the theft of another vehicle early Monday morning, after bonding out of jail.

Edwards led police on a vehicle pursuit that ended in Allen County Friday evening. He was booked in the Kosciusko County Jail at 11:39 p.m. Friday on charges of auto theft, resisting law enforcement, possession of meth, possession of paraphernalia and reckless driving.

Edwards was able to post the $5,250 surety/cash bond on those charges and released. However, he was back in the county jail early Monday morning on charges of auto theft and driving while suspended.

North Webster Police arrested Edwards at approximately 1:46 a.m. His bond was set at $5,250 surety/cash on the most recent charges.

His arrest came after Edwards was seen by North Webster Police operating a vehicle and appeared suspicious after exiting the vehicle.

The Pursuit

According to Syracuse Police, at 9:07 p.m. Friday a Syracuse officer attempted to stop a vehicle, in the area of Bowser Road and CR 300E, Syracuse, while working Operation Pullover. The vehicle had been reported stolen from Syracuse. The suspect vehicle fled at a high rate of speed.

The vehicle Edwards was driving had been reported stolen at 10:18 p.m. Thursday, March 2, from South Huntington Street, Syracuse.

The pursuit continued south on Syracuse-Webster Road, west on CR 650N, south on SR 13, where the vehicle turned east onto US 30. The pursuit continued east on US 30 into Whitley County where the vehicle successfully struck stop sticks that had been deployed on US 30.

Upon striking the stop sticks, the vehicle continued east on US 30, traveling in the westbound lane and into Allen County and into the city of Fort Wayne.

Due to extensive damage, the vehicle finally stopped at State Boulevard and Edgehill Avenue, Fort Wayne. A brief standoff occurred where Edwards held a staple gun to his head. A negotiator from Allen County was able to talk Edwards out of the vehicle. He was taken into custody without further incident.

Syracuse Police Department was assisted in the pursuit by North Webster, Pierceton, Winona Lake, Columbia City and Fort Wayne police departments and Indiana State Police along with Kosciusko, Whitley and Allen County sheriff’s departments.