Residents recall a police chase ending on their street

TIPPECANOE COUNTY, Ind. (WLFI) - Residents of the Lindberg Village Neighborhood have a common way to describe it.

"It's very quiet, maybe two cars coming in," Resident, Autumn Ennis, said.

"We thought this was a quiet court," Resident, Sharon Epping, said.

"It's very quiet," Resident, Mandy Holden, said. "We don't have many problems, so this was a big surprise."

The surprise people on Goddard Court got Monday night was a police chase heading towards their neighborhood. West Lafayette police stopped 31-year-old Jonathan Beard for speeding near Klondike Rd. and U. S. 52.

"[The officer] noticed the driver was agitated," West Lafayette Police Captain, Gary Sparger, said. "He spoke with the driver. The driver became more agitated. He said 'I have to leave' and he sped away from the traffic stop."

"My husband came down the stairs and looked out the front window, and he saw the guy get out of the car and run," Holden said.

When Beard found himself at a dead end, he got out of his car and started running between two homes. Police quickly set up a perimeter, and found him within minutes. One resident said Beard must have been unfamiliar with the area.

"It's a dead end," Ennis said. "We knew he couldn't get very far."

After Beard was caught, police began searching the area and his car.

"[The officer] smelled what he thought was burning marijuana," Sparger said. "After the gentleman was arrested, we did check the car before it was impounded, as is procedure. Then we checked the area, and didn't find anything. So, whatever he had wasn't very much or he got rid of it."

Beard is being charged with resisting law enforcement with a vehicle and criminal recklessness with a vehicle. He remains in the Tippecanoe County Jail.