Police pursuit ends with crash in Nappanee; Motorcyclist injured

News Release

NAPPANEE — A Pierceton man was injured after crashing his motorcycle in Nappanee after allegedly fleeing police in Wakarusa.

According to a news release from the Elkhart County Sheriff’s Office, Wakarusa Police attempted a traffic stop involving two motorcycles at about 9:24 p.m. Thursday.

The attempted traffic stop happened in the area of Ind. 19 and Nelsons Parkway in Wakarusa.

Both motorcycles fled and a pursuit was initiated by the Wakarusa Police and later assisted by the Nappanee Police.

Pursuit of one of the motorcycles ended up in Nappanee when Dominic Blair, 21, Pierceton, turned west on Market Street and quickly sped up.

That’s when a Chevrolet Equinox driven by Kelli Gillis, 26, of Nappanee, was attempting to turn left onto Market Street from Morningside Drive and collided with the motorcycle.

The motorcycle hit the Equinox in the front passenger side. The motorcycle then continued several hundred feet before Blair lost control.

Blair was ejected and the motorcycle flipped through the air several times before coming to rest in the 700 block of East Market Street.

Blair was taken to the hospital by helicopter for cuts to his face and head, and a possible broken wrist.

Gillis was not injured.

No other details were available about the other motorcyclist.