WARSAW — A Winona Lake man was sentenced on his 30th birthday to four years in the county jail as a result of driving his vehicle into a building during a car chase in 2016.

Dustin Lee Alsman

Dustin Lee Alsman, 30, 1202 Wooster Road, No. 30, Winona Lake, was charged with multiple offenses but pleaded guilty June 11 to possession of methamphetamine, a level 6 felony and criminal recklessness while armed with a deadly weapon, a level 6 felony.

As part of a plea agreement, four other related charges were dismissed.

Police reported that on Jan. 10, 2016, an officer observed a purple Ford Ranger spinning tires in Warsaw and was pursued by a unit of the Warsaw Police Department. Officers reported that the driver, later identified as Alsman, was seen changing lanes without signaling. According to the report, Alsman made his vehicle swerve to the right and then suddenly turned left into a parking lot. The vehicle slammed into Union Tool Co.’s overhead garage door.

Police reported that Alsman and his passenger both attempted to flee on foot, but could not due to the amount of wreckage at the scene. Police found blue oval pills and a hypodermic needle Alsman’s vehicle. The pills were identified as Alprazolam. A plastic bag containing methamphetamine was found on Alsman, according to police, who also said Alsman admitted he drove his car into the building on purpose.

“To say that’s an exercise in bad judgement is an understatement,” said Kosciusko County Circuit Court Judge Michael Reed. “I’ve got great concerns for you.”

Reed sentenced Alsman to two years for each charge, totaling four years in the Kosciusko County Jail. Alsman was given 362 days of jail time credit. Alsman’s license will also be suspended for six months effective the day he leaves incarceration.