High-Speed Pursuit Ends in Michigan with Arrest of 42-Year-Old Michael Lee Eppenbaugh

In a dramatic turn of events, a shoplifting suspect, identified as 42-year-old Michael Lee Eppenbaugh of Warsaw, managed to steal a Mishawaka Police vehicle and led officers on a high-speed chase across state lines.

The incident unfolded at Menards on Main Street, where Eppenbaugh, suspected of shoplifting, engaged in a physical altercation with Mishawaka Police officers. Despite being handcuffed, Eppenbaugh seized control of a police vehicle and fled towards state lines.

County police officers diligently pursued the stolen vehicle as it sped north on Ironwood Road, eventually crossing into Michigan. The chase came to a halt when Eppenbaugh crashed the stolen police car at M-60 Highway near Yankee Road, just east of Niles, Michigan.

Attempting to evade capture, Eppenbaugh fled on foot but was swiftly apprehended by law enforcement officers from St. Joseph and Cass County. Police disclosed that Eppenbaugh had multiple warrants for his arrest in Kosciusko County, Indiana.

Currently held in the Cass County Jail, Eppenbaugh faces charges related to the shoplifting incident, assault on officers, and the theft of a police vehicle. The Indiana State Police, who remained at the scene for several hours, utilized a K-9 unit in their investigation.

This daring escapade has left local authorities and residents stunned, emphasizing the need for heightened vigilance and security measures in the aftermath of the incident.