CHARGES FILES IN DRUG RELATED POLICE CHASE ACROSS TWO STATES

*Pictures provided by LaPorte County Police.  Terry Wiltfong of Niles is accused of leading police on a chase from Berrien County to Indiana where it ended in a collision with a pursuing officer’s vehicle.

By: Stan Maddux
Methamphetamine was allegedly involved in a chase from southwest Michigan to Indiana where it ended in a collision with a Chikaming Township Police vehicle.
Terry Wiltfong, 42, of Niles is charged in La Porte County with level 6 felony resisting law enforcement.
She could face similar and other charges like operating a vehicle while under the influence of a controlled substance in Berrien County, authorities said.
Chikaming Township Police officer Paige Holtz on September 11 responded to Travel Center of America in Sawyer on a complaint of a broken glass pipe typically used for consuming drugs located on the property.
The pipe was linked to Wiltfong who stopped to use one of the shower stalls at the truck stop, police said.
According to the police report, Holtz began testing the residue from the pipe and received a positive result for methamphetamine as Wiltfong began leaving the truck stop parking lot in an older model pick-up truck.
Holtz with lights and siren activated tried stopping the vehicle but it continued on Sawyer Road then westbound on Interstate 94.
Officers from New Buffalo and Pokagon Tribal Police tried ending the pursuit by placing stop sticks on the interstate to try and deflate the tires on the fleeing vehicle.
The vehicle, though, veered around the sharp objects.
Police said it was raining during the pursuit which reached speeds of close to 100 miles per hour.
According to police, Wiltfong several miles after crossing into Indiana merged onto U.S. 20 in Michigan City and soon did a U-turn.
That’s when Holtz while trying to block the suspect in struck the driver’s side of the fleeing 1996 Dodge truck.
Police said the truck wound up in a ditch and Wiltfong was spinning her tires trying to drive out of the ditch when officers approached with guns drawn.
She was removed from the vehicle and escorted to the ground.
Police said Wiltfong was found in possession of another glass pipe along with a small bagging containing methamphetamine.
She also exhibited signs of drug related impairment such as loss of balance, police said.
Alcohol consumption was not suspected.
The Chikaming Township Police vehicle sustained front end damage but was still drivable and not towed, according to the police report.