At approximately at 3:35 p.m. Tuesday, a nearly two-and-a-half-hour standoff ended when officers from the Indiana State Police Special Weapons and Tactics Team (SWAT) arrested Jason Fites, 45, rural Macy. Fites is incarcerated in the Miami County Jail to face criminal charges for resisting law enforcement, criminal recklessness with a firearm, possession of heroin, possession of methamphetamine, dealing heroin, dealing methamphetamine, pointing a loaded firearm, violent felon in possession of a handgun, and possession of a syringe. He also had a warrant for his arrest from Tippecanoe County for a parole violation. He is being held without bond.
Officers from the Cass County Drug Task Force were conducting surveillance at a hotel in Peru, IN searching for Fites. He was wanted on a Tippecanoe County, arrest warrant for violation of his parole on a class A felony charge from 2012. Officers observed Fites leave the hotel in his GMC Sierra pickup truck. They requested assistance from the Indiana State Police to stop the truck.
At approximately 12:45 p.m., Indiana State Police Trooper Jon Cole initiated a traffic stop on Fites east of U.S. 31 on Miami County Road 400 North. Fites initially stopped, but then led officers on an approximately 15-minute pursuit. The chase ended when Fites stopped the truck, on Miami County Road 1100 North, and ran into his residence at 1311 East. During that pursuit, Fites had allegedly fired a gunshot on State Road 19 near Miami County Road 700 North. The shot was purportedly fired when Fites was driving by a Miami County Sheriff’s Officer who was placing stop sticks in the road. The officer not injured.
Fites refused to come outside of the home. His elderly father and a female caretaker were also inside the residence. Both father and caretaker were eventually able to exit the residence and were taken to a safe place by police officers. Indiana State Police negotiators were able to make contact, via cell phone, with Fites inside the home. After approximately two and a half hours of negotiation, Fites still refused to exit the home. Fites finally surrendered as officers from the Indiana State Police SWAT were beaching the front door to his residence. He was taken into custody without further incident.
During a subsequent search of Fites’ home and truck, officers allegedly found methamphetamine, heroin, a syringe, three handguns, ammunition, and $5.800 in Untied States currency.
This is an ongoing investigation.