Outdoor security initiatives recently implemented at Indian Lake Schools were integral Friday to quickly identifying and eventually apprehending an out-of-state fugitive accused of parking a stolen car from Michigan in the high school lot, and stealing a staff member’s pickup truck before fleeing the school campus.
In August, new security cameras were added around the school grounds, and existing cameras were upgraded to enhanced technology that allows personnel to recall and review footage in real-time.
A $50,000 camera upgrade project was paid for largely from a federal grant with a $13,000 local match, Indian Lake Superintendent Rob Underwood. Those security upgrades were contributing factors in identifying a suspicious man wandering about the high school lot, school officials report.
Washington Township Police Department have since identified the suspect that reportedly stole a pickup truck Friday morning at Indian Lake High School that prompted a search of the school grounds.
Harry Taylor II, 33, of Saginaw, Mich., has been charged with two counts of grand theft auto, and for operating a motor vehicle without a valid driver’s license after he was taken into custody Friday at Mary Rutan Hospital.
According to police reports, Taylor stole a pickup truck that belonged to an Indian Lake staff member and then fled the area on eastbound State Route 274 towards U.S. Route 33.
The suspect drove the stolen pickup truck east on U.S. Route 33, and sought to exit at U.S. Route 68, law enforcement reports, but a brake failure on the stolen pickup reportedly caused Taylor to crash the vehicle in a grassy area south of the interchange at eastbound U.S. routes 33 and 68.
Taylor left the scene of the crash, jumped a fence and fled the area south towards the Mary Rutan Urgent Care facility, 1134 N. Main St., Bellefontaine, to seek medical attention. A Bellefontaine Fire and EMS squad was dispatched to the urgent care.
Law enforcement from multiple agencies on patrol for the suspect determined the man that was being transported by Bellefontaine EMS was the same suspect believed to have stolen the pickup truck from ILHS.
Officers promptly responded to Mary Rutan Hospital, and identified the suspect. Once he was cleared by hospital staff, the suspect was charged and lodged in Logan County Jail.
A quick response from Indian Lake staff and administrators contributed to a quick apprehension of the suspect, officers report.
A substitute Indian Lake teacher observed a suspicious male on campus around 10:30 a.m. Friday and alerted school administrators. Staff confirmed that all the doors were locked, and Indian Lake High School Assistant Principal Dave Coburn conducted a search of the campus.
The suspect was not found at that time, but school personnel reviewed security camera surveillance footage of the campus which showed Taylor pull into the west side of the high school parking lot in a white Toyota Celica. Video further showed the suspect exit that car, walk around the north side of the high school building into the student parking lot, checking for unlocked vehicles.
Taylor ultimately found the pickup truck with keys still inside and drove off.
A check of the license plate of the car Taylor had left at the school revealed that Celica had been reported stolen out of Coldwater, Mich.
Deputies from the Logan County Sheriff’s Office, and officers of the Bellefontaine Police Department assisted in the search for the suspect and the stolen pickup.
Investigation continues, and additional charges could be pending, law enforcement reports.