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CLAYPOOL - A Warsaw man was taken into custody early Sunday after a chase that ended when the suspect's truck got hung up on a railroad track near Claypool. The pursuit involved several police agencies and was both on- and off-road.
Lyle Thomas Milburn, 42, of 403 S. Union St., Warsaw, is charged with driving while intoxicated, two counts of resisting or fleeing law enforcement and criminal recklessness. He is being held in the Kosciusko County Jail on $5,000 bond.
According to a Kosciusko County Sheriff's Department report, Deputy Kevin Gelbaugh first attempted to stop Milburn on CR 400S after he reportedly observed him cross the center line twice. Milburn allegedly refused to stop and fled westbound on CR 400S, disregarding the stop sign at County Farm Road and heading northbound.
Other officers joined in the pursuit and, at one point, Gelbaugh was in front of and KCSD Deputy Jeff Shaw was behind Milburn's vehicle and the officers were able to get Milburn to stop. However, as Shaw exited his police car, Milburn allegedly made a U-turn from between the two police cars and fled westbound on Hoppus Road.
Milburn also drove through a field, with the chase continued by Claypool Town Marshal Gene Warner, whose patrol vehicle has four-wheel drive.
During the 12:30 a.m. incident, Gelbaugh's squad car was struck by Milburn's pickup and it sustained minimal damage. No damage was reported to the railroad embankment.
After Milburn was taken into custody, a blood test revealed his blood-alcohol level to be .23 percent, according to police.
