INDIANAPOLIS – On Thursday, at 4:18 p.m. Trooper James Williams saw a vehicle near Washington Street and High School Road that matched the description of a vehicle known to have a stolen license plate on it.
When he pulled in behind the vehicle he confirmed the plate was indeed stolen and tried to pull the car over. The driver sped up and drove into a hotel parking, then back onto High School Road leading troopers on a chase.
Troopers briefly lost sight of the vehicle, but located it a short time later crashed and abandoned on Cargo Drive.
An alert community member pointed troopers to the area where the driver ran to and gave a detailed description of the man. Troopers found discarded clothing in the area believed to belong to the suspect.
A short time later a man matching the description of the suspect was found inside the cab of a parked box truck in the same parking lot the clothing was in. The man was reluctant to exit the truck, however, he eventually exited on his own and was taken into custody. Trooper Hunter McCord and her K9 partner Koda, along with other troopers, were part of the search and were instrumental in the safe apprehension of the suspect.
The suspect was identified as 37-year-old Blake Brittain of Indianapolis, who was determined to be the driver of the crashed vehicle that fled from Trooper Williams a short time earlier.
With detailed information from the helpful bystander, troopers found two handguns that had been thrown into a nearby storm drain that is believed to be Brittain’s. The firearms, one of which was stolen, were processed on the scene and submitted to the laboratory for further analysis. Further investigation revealed the vehicle Brittain was driving was reported stolen from Indianapolis in January of this year, along with the stolen license plate belonging to a different vehicle.
Indiana State Police Indianapolis District Commander, Lieutenant Josh Watson, said, “This incident is a great example of an alert community member helping police take a violent felon, illegally in possession of firearms, off the streets. Oftentimes, alert bystanders are the key to successfully helping police intercept a crime in progress, or assisting with the successful conclusion to a criminal investigation. The willingness of people to work together with the police, and come forward with valuable information, undoubtedly makes our communities safer.”
Brittain was arrested on preliminary charges of unlawful possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon, auto theft, theft, unauthorized entry to a motor vehicle, leaving the scene of an accident, obstruction of justice, reckless driving, and resisting law enforcement with a vehicle.
