Man arrested following high speed police pursuit early Monday morning

BEDFORD – A Mitchell man was arrested on Monday, January 2, after his vehicle reached speeds in excess of 110 mph as he attempted to flee officers, according to a probable cause affidavit.

At 1:38 a.m., a Bedford Police officer said he spotted a Ford Mustang traveling east on 16th Street traveling 52 miles per hour in a 35-mile-per-hour zone.

When the driver, 29-year-old Jacob Simmerman, of Mitchell, spotted the officer he, police said he accelerated, travelling at 70 miles per hour on US 50 East passing Eastlake Drive, as other officers were alerted about what was happening.

Simmerman continued East on US 50, passing Tunnelton Road and reaching speeds between 80 to 90mph, police said. He continued fleeing East on US 50 reaching speeds as high as 105 to 115mph, passing Stars Boulevard where the officer said he lost sight of the vehicle. 

Later, the officer said he spotted the vehicle turning south into the Deer Creek Estates housing addition. 

Police said they noticed the vehicle had heavy driver-side damage as it came to a stop, noting there was heavy damage to the hood, windshield, rear driver-side tire and the entire driver-side of the vehicle. 

Simmerman was ordered out of the vehicle, at which point he emerged intoxicated, telling the officer that he fled because he did not want to be caught drinking and driving, police said.

Simmerman then told police that he hit a mailbox somewhere between Deer Creek Estates and the Starstop gas station. 

He told police he had, “six beers to drink and he had been drinking at a friend’s house.”

Other officers who arrived at the scene to assist learned Simmerman had struck a concrete culvert, two mailboxes and a speed limit sign on US 50 East.  Officers later found the Mustang’s driver-side headlight laying on the road near the intersection of US 50 East and the Deer Creek Estates.

Simmerman was then transported to IU Health Hospital for a blood draw and was medically cleared. 

He is facing charges of operating a vehicle while intoxicated, OWI endangerment, resisting arrest, illegal consumption, reckless driving, and leaving the scene of an accident.