(12-21-20) On 12/21/20 at approximately 1:42 am, deputies of the Berrien County Sheriff s Office observed two vehicles driving in the parking lot of Tyler Automotive, located in the 1800 block of S. 11th St. in the Township of Niles. Due to the fact this was not during normal operation hours for the business, the deputies attempted to make contact with the occupants of these two vehicles.

Both vehicles fled out of the parking lot at a high rate of speed and failed to stop for the marked patrol vehicle. The deputies pursued one of the vehicles for approximately one minute north bound on S. 11th St. and this vehicle ultimately pulled over at S. 11th St. and Hickory St. in the City of Niles.

At the time of the traffic stop, this vehicle was being operated by an 18 year old male from South Bend, Indiana and the vehicle was also occupied by an 18 year old female passenger from South Bend, Indiana.
The vehicle that was stopped by the Berrien County Sheriff’s Office was confirmed to be stolen out of South Bend, Indiana.

The 18 year old male is currently at the Berrien County Jail on charges of Possession/Concealing a Stolen Vehicle and for Fleeing & Eluding. The 18 year old female was lodged at the Berrien County Jail on a charge of Possession/Concealing a Stolen Vehicle as well as valid arrest warrants out of Cass County Michigan and Kent
County Michigan.

The second vehicle that fled from the scene is believed to have been stolen from the parking lot of Tyler Automotive and the investigation into this continues.

Both the Niles City Police Department and the Michigan State Police assisted the Berrien County Sheriff s Office with this incident.