MIDDLETOWN, INDIANA: A Florida man named Coleman Ferguson was arrested on July 31 after he led the Middletown Police Department on a high-speed chase while driving a Google Street View car. According to a statement by officials, around 5.00 pm in the evening, Chief Landon J Dean noticed a small car driving past other vehicles in front of Shenandoah High School at more than 100 miles per hour.
Dean identified the vehicle as a car used as a "Google mapping device" and was able to catch up with the Florida man's car in the 8500 block of West US 36, the Middletown Police Department said on Facebook. However, Ferguson refused to stop and drove for several miles into Madison County before losing control and getting stuck in a creek. He was then escorted out of the vehicle, identified by his Florida driver’s license and taken into custody.
What is known about Coleman Ferguson?
Ferguson is a Florida man who was recently arrested for leading Middletown police officers on a high-speed chase in his Google Steet View car, which had multiple 360 degree cameras mounted on a tall antenna. The car was first spotted Chief Dean moving past other vehicles in front of Shenandoah High School at an extremely high speed.
As Dean caught up with the vehicle, the Florida man refused to stop and continued to drive at over 100 miles per hour. He eventually slowed down at the intersection of State Road 109 and US 36 due to red light but continued through the signal and attempted to turn south, just east of Pendleton Indiana, "due to a bridge being out," the Middletown Police Department mentioned.
Ferguson's Google vehicle ultimately lost control and got stuck into a creek after driving through the yard. Officials then escorted him out of the vehicle and placed him into custody. He was identified from a Florida driver’s license and told cops that he worked for Google and was "scared to stop" during the chase. "He was transported to Henry Community Health Hospital in New Castle for medical clearance and then to the Henry County Jail. He was arrested for Resisting Law Enforcement with a vehicle a Level 6 Felony," the department wrote in its press release.
"Middletown was assisted on the scene by Pendleton Police Department and Madison County Sheriff's Office. Madison County Fire and EMS units responded to the scene also," the statement continued. "Formal Criminal Charges will be filed by the Henry County Prosecutor’s Office. Mr. Ferguson is considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law," the Middletown Police Department clarified in its post.
'Google will be proud of him'
Several eyewitnesses and social media users took to Facebook to react to Florida man Ferguson's arrest. "He passed me as I was going west just out of Mechanicsburg. Scared me as he was driving very fast in the middle of the road," one shared. "I was just west of the high school driving a tractor and they both passed me. I had no idea what was going on," another added.
One wrote, "My husband was hauling concrete and this guy passed him unsafely…. He said it was crazy" while another mentioned, "My husband passed that car yesterday on raider rd and said it was just stopped in the road." One user mocked Ferguson, saying, "wow Google will be proud of him" while another joked, "Our house picture changed that day on Google maps. I am sure he was the one that took the pics."
