WARREN COUNTY, INDIANA, Ind. — A Tennessee man is in custody after a police chase near Fowler in Benton County, northwest of Lafayette.
Indiana State Police say a 2008 Ford Focus passed a trooper around 2 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 25. near Brisco, in Warren County. When the trooper tried to pull the car over, police say the driver, Jawan Lawrence, kept going.
Police say they deployed stop sticks on US-41 near State Road 18, near Fowler. Lawrence allegedly tried to avoid the sticks by driving through the median, but the Ford Focus got stuck.
Police say Lawrence got out of the car and tried to run away but was quickly captured by police. He had left a woman and child in the car when he allegedly ran away. Both the woman and child were released by police. Neither appears to have suffered serious injuries.
Police say they found a gun on the man that had a "Glock switch," which turns a semi-automatic handgun into an automatic weapon. Indiana lawmakers banned the switches in 2023.
Lawrence is charged with possession of a machine gun without a license, neglect of a dependent, resisting law enforcement with a vehicle and reckless driving.
He was also wanted on a warrant for disorderly conduct out of Lake County.
Deputies with the Warren County Sheriff's Office and Benton County Sheriff's Office, along with Fowler Police officers, helped with the arrest.
