Staff Report

Sheldon Lee Lawrence

WARSAW — More details have been released on a vehicle pursuit which occurred in Warsaw on Sunday, Oct. 1.

Sheldon Lee Lawrence, 31, 3806 N. 700E, Warsaw, is charged with resisting law enforcement, a level 6 felony; resisting law enforcement, a class A misdemeanor; and criminal recklessness, a class B misdemeanor.

On Oct. 1, a Warsaw Police officer was patrolling in the area of US 30 and Parker Street when he noticed an off-road vehicle following too close and taking a turn too fast. The fast turn caused the ORV to go up on two wheels.

According to court documents, the officer attempted to pull the ORV over but the driver did not stop, traveling the wrong way down a one-way street and traveling 65 mph in a 45 mph zone.

The ORV then drove near the edge of Center Lake, abruptly stopping dangerously close to a father and daughter sitting near the water’s edge. The driver, later identified as Lawrence, ran from the vehicle and jumped into the lake to evade arrest.

Lawrence swam for several minutes before returning to the lake’s edge and surrendering himself to officers.

Lawrence has prior convictions for dealing and possessing meth. He was released from the Kosciusko County Work Release Program in January.

Lawrence was booked in the Kosciusko County Jail on Oct. 1.