Man booked on drug, gun charges after fleeing officers

LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) - A Lafayette man faces multiple drug and firearm charges after police say he tried to escape them when he was confronted by officers Monday.

According to the Lafayette Police Department (LPD), at roughly 7:30 p.m. Monday, detectives from the Tippecanoe County Drug Task Force headed to a home on Medford Street in an attempt to serve an arrest warrant on 28-year-old Antonio Tutson.

The warrant came from an investigation from the county Drug Task Force in which Tutson sold crack cocaine to an undercover detective on three separate occasions between December 2012 and January of this year.

Tutson was seen outside the home and proceeded to flee on foot when confronted by uniformed officers.

After chase on foot that spanned several blocks, he was caught by members of LPD and K-9 Tommy in the 2500 block of Edgelea Drive.

Officers found items related to the sale and distribution of illegal narcotics on Tutson. They also located a loaded, .22 caliber handgun near him.

Tutson was taken to St. Elizabeth Hospital for injuries he got when the K-9 officer took him down, and was released into the custody of the Tippecanoe County Jail.

Detectives then served a search warrant at Tutson’s residence. They found small quantities of both crack cocaine and marijuana, as well as another firearm: a Tech 9 semi-automatic weapon and ammunition.

Tutson was charged with the warrant for dealing cocaine (a Class A Felony), as well as possession of cocaine, possession of marijuana, resisting law enforcement and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Officers from the city’s patrol division and Street Crimes Unit provided assistance in the arrest.

The investigation continues. If you have any information related to this case, contact Lafayette police or the Tippecanoe County Drug Task Force at 765-807-1200. You can also report information about criminal activity anonymously through the WeTip hotline at 1-800-78-CRIME.