Staff Report

Ricky Anthony Johnson

Angela Christine Rogers

WARSAW — A Warsaw man is facing 15 criminal charges following three police pursuits within three months. A Wolcottville woman is also facing drug charges after her involvement in one of the incidents.

In the first case, Ricky Anthony Johnson, 40, 2605 E. Center St., Warsaw, is charged with unlawful possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon, a level 4 felony; resisting law enforcement, a level 6 felony; and resisting law enforcement and driving while suspended, both class A misdemeanors.

Johnson is also charged with possession of methamphetamine, a level 5 felony; possession of methamphetamine and resisting law enforcement, both level 6 felonies; driving while suspended, a class A misdemeanor; and reckless driving, a class C misdemeanor, in a second case. In a third case, Johnson is charged with unlawful possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon, a level 4 felony; possession of methamphetamine, a level 5 felony; unlawful possession of a syringe and resisting law enforcement, both level 6 felonies; driving while suspended, a class A misdemeanor; and reckless driving, a class C misdemeanor.

Angela Christine Rogers, 37, 815 Madison St., Wolcottville, is charged with possession of methamphetamine, unlawful possession of a syringe, obstruction of justice, and unlawful possession or use of a legend drug, all level 6 felonies.

On Oct. 6, 2020, a Milford Police officer saw a vehicle with a Pennsylvania license plate pass by. The officer ran a license plate check on the vehicle and saw the plate had expired in 2017.

According to court documents, while attempting to pull the vehicle over, the vehicle began to speed and disregard stop signs and speed limits. The pursuit went into Elkhart County. During the pursuit, the suspect vehicle dodged multiple spike strips and swerved at a Goshen Police officer who was deploying spike strips.

While in Goshen, the driver, identified as Johnson, allegedly jumped out of the vehicle and fled on foot. Milford and Syracuse Police officers apprehended Johnson.

During the pursuit, the Milford officer noticed an item being thrown from the vehicle. Officers later searched the area and found a firearm with one round of ammunition in the chamber. Two loaded handgun magazines were also found in the area.

Johnson told the Milford officer that he had swallowed a bag of methamphetamine and was experiencing chest pain. He also said the firearm was sold to him by a man in exchange for drugs. Johnson told the officer he ran since he was on probation and that he felt he had no other choice since he was going to jail either way.

On Jan. 3, a Kosciusko County Sheriff’s officer was on patrol when he saw a vehicle traveling while missing a headlight. The officer began following the vehicle and noticed it cross over the centerline of the road. While attempting to pull the vehicle over on CR 225E, near CR 75N, the vehicle’s driver disregarded the officer and began traveling at high rates of speed through populated areas, nearly hitting a pedestrian.

Court documents state the vehicle also passed another vehicle on Old Road 30 at a high rate of speed in a no-passing zone, creating a dangerous situation for other drivers. The suspect driver, later identified as Johnson, lost control of his vehicle and came to a stop near the area of CR 300N and CR 850E. Johnson then fled the scene on foot. Two passengers in Johnson’s vehicle told the officer that Johnson possibly had a firearm of some sort.

Officers used K9 units to find Johnson, who complained of pain and was taken to Kosciusko Community Hospital for treatment. After being cleared at the hospital, he was taken to Kosciusko County Jail. While searching Johnson’s vehicle, officers found a container that had three grams of methamphetamine inside of it.

On Jan. 12, Indiana State Troopers received information from NET43 Drug Task Force officers that Johnson was in the area of Shilling Road and CR 500N. Information had been relayed that Johnson was in possession of a handgun and possibly an AR-15 style rifle. Johnson was also traveling with Angela C. Rogers, who was known to have outstanding warrants for her arrest out of Fulton County. One of the troopers also knew Johnson’s driver’s license was suspended.

A NET43 officer later said he was following Johnson’s vehicle, which was traveling north on CR 675E near CR 650N. The officer was following Johnson at speeds of about 90 mph. As one of the troopers attempted to pull Johnson’s vehicle over, Johnson slowly pulled to the middle of the road and floored his vehicle, fleeing the scene.

Johnson then continued north on CR 650N, reaching speeds of 111 mph. He allegedly passed on double yellow lines and hills and disregarded stop signs and automatic signals. While traveling east on CR 1300N, a trooper noticed Johnson throw a black box and bags commonly used to package narcotics from the vehicle.

Officers continued to pursue Johnson to US 33, where a trooper noticed a handgun being thrown from the vehicle. The pursuit continued into DeKalb County, where one of Johnson’s vehicle’s tires was flattened with the use of stop sticks. Johnson’s vehicle eventually crashed at a location in Allen County.

A male passenger in the vehicle told officers that Johnson had a handgun on him prior to throwing it from the vehicle; he also said both Johnson and Rogers had been throwing methamphetamine out of the vehicle during the pursuit.

While searching the vehicle, officers found a digital scale with methamphetamine residue on it, a hypodermic needle containing methamphetamine, a box containing 10 shotgun shells, multiple small bags commonly associated with drugs and a pill bottle containing a legend drug.

Johnson has been convicted in prior criminal cases for methamphetamine possession, driving while suspended, resisting law enforcement with a vehicle and dealing in cocaine or a narcotic drug.

Johnson and Rogers both have initial hearings on these matters at 8:15 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 21.