A Google Street View car led Indiana police on a wild chase that ended with the vehicle stuck in a muddy creek, authorities said.
The driver, Coleman Ferguson, a Florida resident who claimed to work for Google Maps, was arrested and charged with resisting law enforcement with a vehicle, a level 6 felony.
The incident began on July 31, around 5 p.m., when Middletown Police Department Chief Landon Dean noticed a small car speeding past other motorists near a high school on U.S. Interstate 36. The car had a tall antenna with several 360-degree cameras mounted on it, identifying it as a Google Street View car.
Chief Dean followed the car and clocked it at over 100 miles per hour, according to a statement from the Middletown Police Department. He tried to pull the car over, but the driver refused to stop and continued to zip through traffic and run red lights for about 12 miles.
The chase crossed into Madison County, where the driver slowed down at an intersection before running another red light. He then attempted to turn east to avoid a closed bridge, but lost control and drove through a yard and into a creek, where the car became stuck.
Chief Dean escorted the driver out of the vehicle and took him into custody. The driver told the police that he worked for Google and was scared to stop, the statement said. He was identified by his Florida driver’s license.
A Google spokesperson said in an email that the company was aware of the incident and that it partnered with contractors to drive and collect imagery for its mapping service.
“We take the safety of our Street View operations very seriously, and we’re committed to working with the contracted company and local authorities to ensure the proper actions are taken to address this situation,” the spokesperson said.
No one was injured in the chase or the crash, according to the police. The car was towed out of the creek and impounded. Ferguson was booked into the Henry County Jail and is awaiting trial.
Relevant articles:
– Google Street View car evades police at 100 mph, crashes into creek, Indiana cops say, Kansas City Star, August 1, 2023
– ‘Scared to stop’: Google Maps car leads Indiana police on 100-mph chase, crashes into creek, MSN, August 1, 2023
– Google Maps driver Coleman Ferguson led 100 mph chase: Cops – Law & Crime, Law & Crime, August 2, 2023
– Google Street View car leads Indiana police on 100 mph chase, crashes into creek, Fox59, August 1, 2023