A 41-year-old Three Rivers man was arrested on multiple charges after leading police on a seven-mile-long high-speed chase through Florence Township and Three Rivers Monday night. 

At approximately 8:03 p.m. on Monday, January 31, deputies from the St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department attempted to conduct a traffic stop in the 63000 block of Lutz Rd. in Florence Township. The vehicle stopped initially but quickly took off at a high rate of speed, exceeding speeds of 100 MPH in an effort to elude police. According to authorities, the driver threw “narcotics related evidence” out of the vehicle during the pursuit.

Officers from the Three Rivers Police Department were able to successfully deploy stop sticks when the suspect vehicle entered the City of Three Rivers, forcing the vehicle to stop in the 1200 block of Hov Aire Drive, where the 41-year-old was arrested.

The suspect was charged with possession of methamphetamine, possession of oxycodone, fleeing and eluding, destruction of evidence and parole violation.

Alek Haak-Frost is executive editor of Watershed Voice.