Indiana State Police sent this bulletin at 07/06/2017 01:42 PM EDT
Tippecanoe County – Today at approximately 10:15 a.m. on I-65 southbound near the 200-mile marker (that is near the White/Jasper County Line, US 24/201 Exit), an altercation allegedly involving a gun occurred between two drivers with one ending up in jail.
Preliminary investigation by Trooper Ben Rector has revealed the driver of a white 2013 Ford Focus had allegedly pointed a gun at the driver of a white semi as they were both traveling SB on I-65. The driver of the semi called the police to report the incident. He gave a description of the vehicle and troopers from the ISP post at Lafayette located the vehicle traveling SB near the 184 MM.
The vehicle exited at the SR 43/178 exit and troopers pulled the vehicle over. The driver exited the vehicle, made verbal and hand gestures to the troopers and took off running. Master Trooper Aaron McCormick and Trooper Nathan Hampton took off on foot in pursuit of the male subject. They chased him through the woods, then into a corn field and ended up in a bean field where he was apprehended by McCormick. The foot pursuit lasted about five minutes and was about a mile and a half in length.
The suspect and driver of the Focus was identified as Justin Dennis Altwein, 25 of Wausaukee, WI. He is being booked into the Tippecanoe County Jail on charges of a Felon in Possession of a Handgun and Resisting Law Enforcement. Other charges may be pending out of Jasper County. At this time, the female passenger in the Ford Focus is not being charged with any crime.
Trooper Rector was assisted by several troopers from the ISP Lafayette Post, Troopers from the Commercial Motor Carrier Section, Officers with the DNR and Jim’s Towing.
Suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.