Troopers discovered approximately 2 1/4 pounds of suspected marijuana, several pills testing positive for meth, marijuana wax and digital scale after a pursuit of a Goshen woman. Photo provided by Indiana State Police.

News Release

ST. JOSEPH COUNTY — A Goshen woman was arrested Tuesday, March 8, on numerous charges after leading Indiana State Troopers on a chase in South Bend.

Denay Tuggle, 37, Goshen, was arrested on several Elkhart County active warrants as well as resisting law enforcement, habitual traffic violator, dealing marijuana, possession of marijuana, possession of methamphetamine, possession of paraphernalia, false identity statement, identity deception, forgery, counterfeit driver’s license, and leaving the scene of a crash.

At approximately 4:08 p.m.,  Trooper Kyle Hudson saw a gold Ford commit a moving violation as it traveled south on SR 933 near Pendle Road. When Hudson turned on the red and blue emergency lights in his unmarked Dodge Charger the Ford pulled into a nearby business and stopped.

The female driver of the Ford gave Hudson a Texas driver’s license that Hudson immediately became suspicious was fake. Hudson also reports  while speaking with the driver he could smell marijuana.

Hudson returned to his car and determined the Texas license was fraudulent and the driver’s license number belonged to a male. Hudson got out of his car and began to speak to the driver. She complied when Hudson asked her to turn off the car while they spoke about the fraudulent driver’s license. When the conversation turned to the odor of marijuana, the driver grabbed her keys and attempted to start the Ford. Hudson reached in the open window to attempt to stop her as she put the car in drive and fled while Hudson still had his arm in the window.

The driver fled southbound on SR 933 into South Bend, leading troopers down numerous streets, eventually ending up southbound on Johnson Street. The driver disregarded the stop light at Johnson Street and Lincoln Way West and was struck in the passenger side by a vehicle that had the right-of-way. The driver fled this crash scene leading troopers down several side streets and alleys before coming to a stop at the end of an alley near Obrien Street and Lincoln Way West.

The driver was safely taken into custody and she then verbally gave a second identity, different from the identity on the fraudulent driver’s license. Medics were called to the scene due to the earlier crash and the driver was transported to Memorial Hospital to be medically cleared.

Troopers searched the Ford and discovered approximately 2 1/4 pounds of suspected marijuana, several pills that tested positive for methamphetamine, marijuana wax, and a digital scale.

Once medically cleared the driver was transported to the St. Joseph County Jail where it was eventually found that the name and date of birth she had given to troopers and medical staff was false. She was positively identified as Tuggle and found to have several active warrants out of Elkhart County.

The South Bend Police Department investigated the crash that Tuggle was involved in. The driver and a passenger in the other vehicle complained of minor injuries.