A Warsaw man is in jail after leading police on an early morning pursuit that resulted in his vehicle being driven into Center Lake. Saturday morning at approximately 3:20 a.m., a Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department deputy had observed a vehicle driving without any tail or headlights near the intersection of Cleveland and Market streets in Warsaw, according to a press release from the KCSD. The sheriff’s deputy, along with the assistance of a Winona Lake officer, was able to locate the suspect vehicle near the area of the Dairy Queen on East Winona Avenue. The vehicle was initially stuck in snow, but was able to dislodge and flee from officers. The suspect vehicle then travelled westbound on Winona Avenue, striking the Winona Lake police vehicle. The pursuit continued westbound onto Smith Street, at which point the suspect vehicle struck a newspaper box as it turned northbound onto Detroit Street. During the course of the pursuit, the suspect vehicle continued to de-activate its tail and headlights, the release states. The suspect vehicle additionally damaged Warsaw Parks Department property as it turned westbound onto Canal Street, and then eventually northbound onto Buffalo Street. The driver, identified as Benny Dean Fitzpatrick, 29, Warsaw, jumped from his vehicle as it continued down the Center Lake boat-ramp and into the lake. Fitzpatrick was taken into custody by officers after a short foot pursuit ensued. Fitzpatrick was arrested and preliminarily charged with resisting/fleeing law enforcement by use of a vehicle, operating a vehicle while intoxicated failure to stop after an accident and refusal to submit to a chemical test, the release states. He is currently being held in the Kosciusko County Jail on $7,500 bond. Warsaw-Wayne Fire Territory dive team members were summoned to the scene to assure there were no other passengers in the vehicle or water. The KCSD also was assisted by officers from the Winona Lake and Warsaw Police Department.
