SOUTH WHITLEY – John Justin Tingle, 34, was led from his parents’ State Street home in handcuffs after a standoff with police officers Wednesday afternoon. According to town marshal Dave Wilkinson, Tingle remained in the house for more than three hours after being approached by a local police officer. “We were aware of active warrants out of Kosciusko County for Tingle and we’ve been watching for him,” Wilkinson said. “Sgt. Mikel VanDevender tried to initiate a traffic stop and there was a short pursuit around the block a couple of times.” Tingle exited the vehicle he was driving and fled to where his parents live at 108 N. State St. Tingle’s mother and girlfriend were in the house at the time, Wilkinson said, and exited the building as Indiana State Police, sheriff’s deputies, the Kosciusko County SWAT team and local police officers surrounded the house around 1 p.m. During the three-hour standoff, State Street was closed from Columbia to Market streets with traffic redirected through town. Cleveland Township firemen also assisted the law enforcement agencies by closing off traffic on Maple Street from Columbia to Market streets. Whitko School Corp. initiated lockdown procedures at the elementary and high school buildings. Parents were allowed to pick up children early. Crossroads Bank, located due east of the house, closed during the situation. Onlookers crowded the sidewalks on Columbia Street as the drama unfolded. Around 4 p.m. Kosciusko County SWAT team members and ISP K-9 units entered the house and found Tingle hiding in a crawl space in the basement. Tingle was extracted from his hiding place, handcuffed and taken to Whitley County Jail where he is currently charged with resisting law enforcement. No weapons were drawn nor were shots fired during the incident. Wilkinson said the Kosciusko County warrants are for non-payment of child support and on a warrant in a civil matter for an outstanding bill or debt.
