Chicago Man Arrested on Multiple Charges Following I-65 Pursuit

A Chicago, Illinois man was arrested on multiple charges following an investigation that covered three counties along I-65 in southern Indiana.

Shortly before 8:00 am Tuesday morning, officers with the Scottsburg Police Department received a report of a possible robbery at a Scott County gas station. Information was quickly sent out to surrounding law enforcement agencies to look out for the black Volkswagen SUV with Tennessee registration and the male suspect.

At approximately 8:10 am, Seymour Police Officers observed the vehicle on I-65 Northbound near the 50 mile marker in Jackson County, Indiana. Officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop on the vehicle but the driver, later determined to be Mekyell Brown-Champion, age 25, Chicago, Illinois fled in the vehicle northbound at a high rate of speed.

Troopers with the Indiana State Police-Versailles Post and officers from multiple other agencies soon assisted with the pursuit of the vehicle. Brown-Champion continued northbound into Bartholomew County where he exited I-65 onto State Road 46 at Columbus. He traveled westbound on State Road 46 before ultimately turning around and attempting to get back onto I-65 Southbound.

While traveling on the on-ramp, Trooper Randel Miller conducted a PIT Maneuver effectively stopping the vehicle and ending the pursuit. Brown-Champion was taken into custody and discovered to have been wanted on a warrant out of Illinois.

The vehicle had recently been reported stolen out of Nashville, Tennessee.

Scottsburg Police Department Investigators arrested Brown-Champion and transported him back to the Scott County Jail where he was incarcerated on initial charges of Robbery, Criminal Trespass, and Battery.

Additional charges in Jackson and Bartholomew Counties are possible.