Chicago Man Allegedly Stole Woman’s Car To Return Home
March 1, 2022 at 2:01 a.m.
Chicago Man Allegedly Stole Woman’s Car To Return Home
By Jackie Gorski-
Merieal Maurice Tolbert, 28, Chicago, is charged with resisting law enforcement, a Level 6 felony; theft, a Level 6 felony; criminal recklessness, a Class B misdemeanor; and reckless driving, a Class C misdemeanor.
He was booked into the Kosciusko County Jail at 2:58 p.m. Thursday.
According to the probable cause affidavit, on Thursday an Indiana State Police trooper was on U.S. 30 just west of CR 200W. His unmarked ISP vehicle was stationary and had its back and side emergency lights activated from a previous traffic stop when the trooper was startled by a vehicle that passed at such a distance and speed the air disruption from the passing vehicle shook the trooper’s vehicle. The trooper saw the vehicle made no attempt to slow down or move over for the trooper’s stationary vehicle, as required by law.
The trooper pulled his vehicle into traffic and caught up with the suspect vehicle, a silver Chrysler 300. The trooper activated his emergency lights to initiate a traffic stop of the vehicle, but the vehicle didn’t pull over. The trooper activated his siren to attempt to gain the attention of the driver, later identified as Tolbert. At one point, it appeared Tolbert was going to comply and pull over when the vehicle pulled out in front of the trooper in passing lane and preceded west on U.S. 30.
Tolbert then increased the vehicle’s speed to approximately 90 miles an hour, in excess of the 60-mph speed limit.
According to court documents, Tolbert’s vehicle was passing other vehicles in a dangerous manner, almost striking a pickup. The trooper continued to pursue the vehicle, which reached a top speed of 120 mph.
The pursuit continued into Marshall County, where Marshall County law enforcement assisted by deploying stop sticks on U.S. 30 to try to disable the vehicle. The pursuit ended when the vehicle hit the stop sticks, drove into a ditch and then rolled over, according to court documents.
The vehicle had been reported stolen in Allen County from a person who had previously been in a relationship with Tolbert. The woman said when the relationship ended, Tolbert took her vehicle without permission and left and she didn’t know where the vehicle was located, according to court documents.
Tolbert allegedly admitted to taking the woman’s vehicle. He said he took the vehicle with the intent to drive home to Chicago. Tolbert admitted to fleeing from the trooper because he thought the woman may have reported the vehicle stolen. He also allegedly admitted to taking the vehicle without permission, according to court documents.
Merieal Maurice Tolbert, 28, Chicago, is charged with resisting law enforcement, a Level 6 felony; theft, a Level 6 felony; criminal recklessness, a Class B misdemeanor; and reckless driving, a Class C misdemeanor.
He was booked into the Kosciusko County Jail at 2:58 p.m. Thursday.
According to the probable cause affidavit, on Thursday an Indiana State Police trooper was on U.S. 30 just west of CR 200W. His unmarked ISP vehicle was stationary and had its back and side emergency lights activated from a previous traffic stop when the trooper was startled by a vehicle that passed at such a distance and speed the air disruption from the passing vehicle shook the trooper’s vehicle. The trooper saw the vehicle made no attempt to slow down or move over for the trooper’s stationary vehicle, as required by law.
The trooper pulled his vehicle into traffic and caught up with the suspect vehicle, a silver Chrysler 300. The trooper activated his emergency lights to initiate a traffic stop of the vehicle, but the vehicle didn’t pull over. The trooper activated his siren to attempt to gain the attention of the driver, later identified as Tolbert. At one point, it appeared Tolbert was going to comply and pull over when the vehicle pulled out in front of the trooper in passing lane and preceded west on U.S. 30.
Tolbert then increased the vehicle’s speed to approximately 90 miles an hour, in excess of the 60-mph speed limit.
According to court documents, Tolbert’s vehicle was passing other vehicles in a dangerous manner, almost striking a pickup. The trooper continued to pursue the vehicle, which reached a top speed of 120 mph.
The pursuit continued into Marshall County, where Marshall County law enforcement assisted by deploying stop sticks on U.S. 30 to try to disable the vehicle. The pursuit ended when the vehicle hit the stop sticks, drove into a ditch and then rolled over, according to court documents.
The vehicle had been reported stolen in Allen County from a person who had previously been in a relationship with Tolbert. The woman said when the relationship ended, Tolbert took her vehicle without permission and left and she didn’t know where the vehicle was located, according to court documents.
Tolbert allegedly admitted to taking the woman’s vehicle. He said he took the vehicle with the intent to drive home to Chicago. Tolbert admitted to fleeing from the trooper because he thought the woman may have reported the vehicle stolen. He also allegedly admitted to taking the vehicle without permission, according to court documents.
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