After a caller reported suspicious activity at a rural Linton residence and deputies were dispatched earlier this month, they spotted a wanted man with three warrants out for his arrest. The suspect took off running through the woods and the chase was on. About a half-hour later, he was apprehended.

Jonathan Lee Towell, 32, Linton, had three criminal cases pending against him and warrants for his arrest had been issued in all three when he was taken into custody on Tuesday, December 4.

Prior to this date, Towell was arrested on October 27, had bonded out of jail and was given a court date of November 1 for his initial hearing. He was a no-show and one warrant was issued – this was in a case involving intimidation, resisting law enforcement and battery against a Linton officer.

Between then and December 4, two more warrants were issued, one on a petition to revoke a suspended sentence in an older drug case, and the other in a pending case involving battery with bodily injury to a Worthington officer that occurred early this year. So law enforcement was generally familiar with Towell before the December 4 incident.

These warrants had been issued but were outstanding when a call came into the dispatch center at the sheriff’s department on December 4.

Deputy James Carpenter of the Greene County Sheriff’s Department, the investigating officer, reported that he and Deputy Harvey Holt were dispatched around 2:41 p.m. Tuesday, December 4, to a property located on West County Road 250 North in rural Linton after a report of suspicious activity at a trailer. They were advised the previous residents had moved out a week earlier and the owner believed someone was inside the trailer.

Holt arrived first and saw a white male with a camouflage jacket and tan pants walking near the trailer. The man was later identified as Towell, who took off running. Deputy Holt gave the order “Stop, Police” but Towell did not stop and Holt advised dispatch that he was in pursuit on foot.

With Deputy Carpenter on the way, Holt said Towell was running eastbound from the property so Carpenter parked his patrol vehicle at a residence north of County Road 250 North and CR 1225 West.

Dispatch advised the officers that Towell might be armed and Holt said Towell had a green bag with him but he threw it.

Around 3:12 p.m., Carpenter said he saw Towell walking eastbound through a wooded area and he notified dispatch. Towell was walking toward Carpenter but was unable to see the deputy until Carpenter yelled “Police” and for Towell to get on the ground.

Carpenter had Towell at gunpoint and Towell complied. Towell laid belly down on the ground and Carpenter told dispatch he had him at gunpoint and he needed another officer to assist.

When Deputy Heather Wood arrived on the scene, Towell was taken into custody and transported to the sheriff’s department.

As a result of this arrest, a new case, Towell’s fourth pending case, was filed and he’s due in court tomorrow.

Carpenter said Towell had several syringes in a pocket as well as a substance that field tested positive as marijuana. He did not have any weapons. By a little after 4 p.m., Towell was booked in to jail.

While this was going on, GCSD Det. Shawn Cullison applied for a search warrant for the trailer, which was granted by a judge.

Around 8 p.m., the search warrant was executed by Deputy Carpenter, GCSD Sgt. Bobby Pierce, Indiana State Police Trooper Richard Klun and ISP Trooper Taylor Lowery.

Carpenter reported they found plastic ziplock bags with corners torn out, metal spoons with residue, a smoking device with a green plant substance, pieces of cardboard with blood on them, a cell phone and a walking stick that had knife marks on it.

When this fourth case was filed against Towell, another warrant was issued and served, and he’s scheduled to appear in court for another initial hearing tomorrow afternoon, on Tuesday, December 18.

In this newest case, he’s being charged with:

Resisting law enforcement – knowingly or intentionally flees from law enforcement, a Class A misdemeanor,
Unlawful possession of a syringe, a Level 6 felony, and
Possession of marijuana, a Class B misdemeanor.

Towell continues to be held without bond.