Two arrested in alleged pursuit, crash on Lincolnway East
ST. JOSEPH COUNTY, Ind. – Two people were arrested after allegedly leading police on a chase and damaging other vehicles during the pursuit Monday morning, the St. Joseph County Fatal Crash Team reported.
At 10:15 a.m., officers from the Mishawaka Police Street Crimes Unit tried to arrest 30-year-old Nicholas Singleton on active warrants after he was located in an orange Chevy Avalanche at an apartment complex on Douglas Road, police said.
Singleton was in the passenger seat of the Avalanche and a woman, 30-year-old Krystal Pinkowski, was in the driver’s seat.
As officers surrounded the Avalanche, Pinkowski drove away, hitting two squad cars. The Avalanche continued, striking the right front of an SCU-assigned vehicle, reports said.
Pinkowski allegedly switched from driver to passenger near the apartment complex, with Singleton then allegedly driving, reports said.
Officers pursued the Avalanche, eventually heading south on Logan Street toward Lincolnway, police said.
Stop sticks were deployed and the Avalanche hit them but the vehicle continued into South Bend, despite the stop sticks disabling the front tires, reports said.
The chase eventually returned to Lincolnway East, on the South Bend side, and the Avalanche hit two westbound vehicles near the entrance of a McDonald’s.
One of the vehicles had minor damage, while the other was disabled from the crash, police said.
The Avalanche continued through the intersection of Lincolnway and S. Ironwood Dr. and hit the curb and retention wall along the south side of the street.
An officer then used his squad car to pin the Avalanche against the wall, reports said.
Per protocol, the St. Joseph County Fatal Crash Team took over the investigation.
Singleton was taken to the St. Joseph County Jail and faces preliminary charges of resisting law enforcement, leaving the scene of a crash, and criminal recklessness, police said.
Singleton was also booked for his active and outstanding warrants, police said.
Pinkowski was taken to the St. Joseph County Jail and faces preliminary charges of resisting law enforcement, leaving the scene of a personal injury accident, and obstruction of justice, police said.
UPDATE: Singleton pleaded guilty to resisting law enforcement, criminal recklessness, leaving the scene of an accident, resisting law enforcement, operating a vehicle with a controlled substance in blood in September 2021. Three charges of leaving the scene of an accident were dismissed as part of the plea agreement. He was sentenced to 30 months for resisting law enforcement, 30 months for criminal recklessness, and 30 months for a second count of resisting law enforcement. All three of the 30 month sentences will run consecutively. He was sentenced to 180 days for leaving the scene of an accident and 180 days to operating a vehicle with a controlled substance in the blood. The 180 day sentences are to run concurrently with each other and the 30 month sentence for the second resisting law enforcement charge.
In December 2021, Pinkowski pleaded guilty to resisting law enforcement, obstruction of justice and leaving the scene of an accident. Two counts of leaving the scene of an accident were dismissed as part of a plea agreement. She was sentenced to 24 months for resisting law enforcement, 24 months for obstruction of justice and 5 months for leaving the scene of an accident. All of the sentences will run concurrently. The sentences were suspended. Pinkowski was also sentenced to 12 months probation.