ANGOLA, IN (WTVB) – A Quincy woman was arrested Friday night in Steuben County, Indiana following a police pursuit in which a child was inside of the suspect’s vehicle.
Steuben County Chief Deputy Sheriff Michael Meeks stated in a press release that his department’s deputies responded just before 6:00 p.m. to the area of I-69 and the Indiana/Michigan state line after the Branch County Sheriff’s Office requested assistance in the pursuit of a fleeing vehicle believed to be occupied by two wanted subjects and a child which was heading towards Indiana.
The Branch County Sheriff’s Office says the pursuit also involved the Michigan State Police after it started in Quincy on an unwanted person complaint.
Stop sticks were deployed at the state line which were struck by the fleeing Chevy Astro minivan. Speeds decreased from 100 mph down to 40 mph but the fleeing suspects continued at the low rate of speed on two tires.
There were several unsuccessful stop stick attempts to deflate the driver side tires. The driver of the minivan then tried a U-turn in the median crossover near the 347 mile marker but began to lose control and stopped in the median. Sheriff’s deputies along with Angola Police and the Indiana State Police were able to take both adult occupants into custody without further incident.
The driver was identified as 37-year-old Brienne Lee Bicknell of Quincy. Meeks says some suspected drug related items were allegedly found in Bicknell’s possession. She was also found to be wanted out of Branch County for an alleged drug offense. The passenger was identified by the Branch County Sheriff’s Office as 41-year-old Joseph Bicknell of Quincy who had arrest warrants out of Michigan but they were non-extraditable from the state of Indiana. He was released at the scene by Angola Police.
A child was found in the vehicle and appeared to be unharmed. The child was taken to Cameron Hospital by Steuben County EMS as a precaution and was later turned over to the care of the Indiana Department of Child Services.
Brienne Bicknell was booked into the Steuben County Jail by Angola Police on six charges including felony counts of Resisting Law Enforcement with a Vehicle, Neglect of a Dependent and Possession of a Hypodermic Syringe or Needle.
The incident still remains under investigation by Angola Police and The Branch County Sheriff’s Office. Additional charges may be sought both in Indiana and Michigan.
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