The Probable Cause Affidavit for the arrest of Donald Dickson Jr. following a high speed pursuit on Saturday reveals more information on the reasons for his arrest.
About 7:45 in the evening a Bremen Police Officer suspected the vehicle Dickson was driving was speeding on West Shore Drive at Lake of the Woods. He clocked the vehicle at 41 mph in a 35 mph zone. Attempting to conduct a traffic stop on the green Hyundai, it started to accelerate in an attempt to lose the officer.
With lights and siren activated the pursuit turned on to 4th Road covering 17 miles in 16 minutes. At times the speed was in excess of 100 miles per hour. The suspect, Donald Dickson disregarded multiple stop signs, drove through three residential yards, one of which was having a large gathering of people who were in the yard.
The vehicle eventually became stuck in a cornfield and as the officer approached Dickson grabbed the female passenger around the neck, pulling her close and held a knife to her throat. At this point Dickson demanded a truck to get away in.
After several tense minutes, the stand-off ended when officers were able to talk Dickson into releasing the female. He was not compliant to officers’ orders and was tasered before being taken into custody.
The investigation revealed that the vehicle had been stolen out of Austin, IN.
Donald Dickson Jr. told police he swallowed a large amount of narcotics including heroin and Adderall during the pursuit. Because of this he was transported to the Plymouth Hospital for overnight observation. On Sunday he was released to the Bowen Center in Pierceton and booked into the Marshall County Jail on Monday. Donald Dickson Jr. is being held on a $50,000 cash bond for Criminal Confinement with a Deadly Weapon, Theft-Receiving Stolen Property, Resisting Law Enforcement with a Vehicle, Resisting Law Enforcement, Reckless Driving, Operating While Intoxicated Endangering a Person and Operator Never Licensed.
Listeners and readers are reminded that charging information supported by an affidavit of probable cause is merely an allegation that a crime has been committed and that there is only probable cause to believe a crime has been committed. They are presumed innocent throughout the proceedings and are entitled to be represented by counsel and entitled to a trial by jury at which the State is obligated to provide proof beyond a reasonable doubt before a judgment of guilt may be made.
