SCOTT CO. — A 25-year-old man from Chicago was arrested Monday morning on multiple charges after leading police on a high-speed chase through three counties along Interstate 65 in Southern Indiana.
The incident began just before 8:00 a.m. on Monday, February 10, and ended in a dramatic but safe conclusion with the suspect’s arrest.
The chain of events unfolded when the Scottsburg Police Department received a report of a possible robbery at a local gas station in Scott County. Authorities were quickly alerted to be on the lookout for a black Volkswagen SUV with Tennessee license plates being driven by a male. Just ten minutes later, officers with the Seymour Police Department spotted the vehicle traveling northbound on I-65 near the 50-mile marker in Jackson County.
When officers attempted to pull the vehicle over, the driver, Mekyell Brown-Champion of Chicago, fled the scene at a high rate of speed. A pursuit ensued, with law enforcement agencies from several counties, including the Indiana State Police-Versailles Post, joining the chase.
The pursuit continued north on I-65 into Bartholomew County, where Brown-Champion exited the interstate at Columbus on State Road 46. After briefly driving westbound, Brown-Champion attempted to re-enter I-65 Southbound. That’s when Trooper Randel Miller executed a Precision Immobilization Technique (PIT) maneuver, which caused the SUV to spin out and come to a stop.
Brown-Champion was safely taken into custody shortly after the SUV was disabled. Upon further investigation, it was discovered that Brown-Champion was wanted on a warrant out of Illinois and that the car he was driving had been reported stolen from Nashville, Tennessee.
He was transported to the Scott County Jail, where he faces initial charges of robbery, criminal trespass, and battery related to the earlier gas station incident. Authorities are considering additional charges in Jackson and Bartholomew Counties as the investigation continues.
Brown-Champion’s arrest marks the culmination of a coordinated effort by multiple law enforcement agencies across three Indiana counties, ensuring that a dangerous situation was resolved without further incident.
Those facing criminal charges are considered innocent unless convicted through due legal proceedings. Accusations alone do not imply guilt; the judicial system will evaluate the presented evidence to reach a verdict.
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