Two Jailed After Burket Chase

BURKET -ÊTwo South Whitley men were booked into Kosciusko County Jail Saturday after allegedly attempting to flee police officials in a vehicle.

Scott J. Ratliff, 27, of 2425 S. CR 950W, South Whitley, was charged with driving while intoxicated, public intoxication, resisting/fleeing law enforcement, possession of marijuana, criminal recklessness and criminal mischief. He also is being held on a warrant from Johnson County, Ky. Ratliff's bond was set at $3,000.

A passenger in Ratliff's vehicle, Timothy "Timmy" Gibson, 39, of the same address, was charged with public intoxication. His bond was set at $175. Gibson was apparently unconscious during the chase.

Ratliff's blood-alcohol content was measured at .137 percent. Gibson's blood-alcohol content was measured at .31 percent, according to a report from the Kosciusko County Sheriff's Department.

According to KCSD Cpl. Chad Hill, the chase began after a county resident reported a vehicle driving through his yard and weaving on and off the road about 3:10 p.m. Saturday. The resident also reported a passenger in the vehicle looked as if he had passed out.

Hill said he spotted Ratliff's vehicle at approximately 3:30 p.m. and followed him without turning his flashing lights on - he did not want to give chase in a residential area.

"When I first passed him, he was driving off the side of the road," Hill said.

Once the chase began, speeds reached between 75 mph and 80 mph, and Ratliff reportedly drove through two intersections before driving through two cornfields. Ratliff also drove his vehicle through the Burket Elementary schoolyard and eventually stopped in a cornfield.

Ratliff then allegedly fled the scene on foot and police set up a perimeter around the cornfield in an attempt to locate him. Gibson was found passed out in the vehicle and was taken to Kosciusko Community Hospital for treatment of his injuries.

K-9 units were brought in and Ratliff was found face down on the ground near the intersection of CRs 700W and 500S.

"The K-9 worked great. The corn was probably 6 to 8 feet tall. You couldn't see," said Hill.

Four bags of marijuana were allegedly found in Ratcliff's possession at the time of arrest. The marijuana weighed 132 grams.

Hill said he wrote 15 violations for Ratliff.