Man arrested after crashing into pond during police chase

DARKE COUNTY — A 33-year-old man is in custody after a police chase in Darke County early Tuesday morning, according to a spokesperson with the Darke County Sheriff’s Office.

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At approximately 12:54 a.m., a sheriff’s deputy pulled over a car near State Route 49 and Hogpath Road in Greenville.

Michael Johnson, 33, of Union City, Indiana, has since been identified as the driver, the spokesperson said.

While speaking to Johnson, the deputy saw apparent illegal narcotics inside the car.

The deputy asked Johnson to get out of the car, but he put it into gear and drove away, according to the spokesperson.

The chase continued on SR-49 before turning onto U.S. 127. Shortly after, deputies used stop sticks near U.S. 127 and U.S. 36 East.

Johnson turned west onto Kruckeberg Road and lost control of the vehicle. He drove into a grass field and crashed into a pond.

The spokesperson said he got out of the car and ran through the pond and an overgrown vegetation area.

A Darke County Sheriff’s Office K9 found Johnson hiding in a “thick section of vegetation,” the spokesperson said.

Deputies and Greenville police went into the pond and took Johnson into custody.

Johnson was transported to Wayne Healthcare before being booked into the Darke County Jail.

He is facing charges including tampering with evidence, failure to comply, obstruction, and resisting arrest.

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