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Two armed robbery suspects were apprehended near the Elkhart-Kosciusko county line early this morning after a chase originating in Goshen.
The Kosciusko County Sheriff's Department was notified at 2:58 a.m. today that the suspects had fled Goshen and were being pursued toward Kosciusko County. Officers responded to the area in an attempt to intercept the suspects, but the pursuit ended in a crash at CR 19, north of U.S. 6, in Elkhart County before local officers arrived.
One of the suspects remained in the wrecked vehicle, but the other reportedly fled on foot. Kosciusko County Sheriff's Department deputies Tony Ciriello and Craig Bale, as well as jail officer Derek Kreider, began a search of the area. Bale's K-9, Fritz, apparently picked up the suspect's scent, but the trail ended north of U.S. 6, so the officers returned to the scene of the crash.
Ciriello then began combing the area in his squad car and noticed a pickup and car in a residential garage, but no other activity while driving north on CR 17. When he found nothing, he turned around and saw the pickup pulling out of the driveway of the residence where he earlier saw the vehicles in the garage. The pickup reportedly did not have any lights on as it exited the driveway, but the lights were illuminated after heading west onto U.S. 6. Ciriello said that he noticed that the vehicle appeared to be traveling at a high rate of speed, so he activated his red and blue lights in an attempt to stop the vehicle.
The driver continued for about one-quarter mile before pulling over at CR 15 and U.S. 6. The driver exited the vehicle and was ordered to the ground and held at gunpoint until other officers arrived.
Information regarding the armed robbery and the initial chase were not available from Goshen police this morning. A Goshen Police Department squad car also was damaged during the incident. A Goshen officer and the two suspects, whose names were not available, were taken to Goshen General Hospital for treatment.
