2 arrested on drug charges following Vigo Co. high speed pursuit

ICN photo

​By Lucy Perry
​Indiana Central News
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Two men were arrested on multiple charges following a high speed police pursuit in Vigo County Monday night.

• Driver - Jason P. Keck, 43, of Terre Haute, was booked into the Vigo County Jail and charged with: Possession of syringe or needle, resisting law enforcement, maintaining a common nuisance, manufacture/ dealing meth, dealing marijuana, possession of marijuana and possession of meth.

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• Passenger- Jon D. Bumpus, 55, also of Terre Haute, was booked into the Vigo County Jail and charged with: Resisting law enforcement, visiting a common nuisance and possession of marijuana, hash oil or hashish.

The two suspects were ultimately apprehended shortly after Bumpus jumped out near the federal prison on SR 63. The driver stopped a short distance later,  just when officers were prepared to use stop sticks, according to scanner traffic.

The pursuit began when Vigo County Sheriff’s Deputy Jerrad Pirtle was patrolling the area of S. Third and Voorhees Streets around 9 p.m. 

Pirtle initiated a traffic stop on the white Chrystler Sebring. The driver disregarded the emergency lights and continued past Texas Roadhouse on Third Street, refusing to stop.

According to the probable cause affidavit, the suspect vehicle picked up speed after turning west onto Margaret Drive. With no other traffic on the road, the vehicle was  reportedly all over the roadway and disregarding red lights. After reaching speeds around 100 mph, the vehicle slowed down at Johnson Drive and SR 63, where items were observed being thrown out the passenger side window.

Terre Haute Police Department officers and Indiana State Police had joined in the pursuit by this time. 

The vehicle fled again. 

“The vehicle then sped back off again and slammed on the brakes, just south of Jones Drive,” Pirtle states in the documents, noting that Bumpus got out of the car and was apprehended without incident a short time later.

The vehicle continued southbound on SR 63, around 100 mph. It stopped just north of Rigney Drive, in the middle of SR 63.
“The driver [Keck] was pulled from the vehicle and placed on the ground without incident,” Pirtle explained.

Officers found several items scattered along the road that were recovered as evidence. Keck reportedly admitted the substances and paraphernalia tossed out the window belonged to him.