Protection order investigation leads to pursuit in east Beatrice

BEATRICE – Police in an area of east Beatrice suspecting a violation of a sexual assault protection order were led on a pursuit, Friday that started in the one-thousand block of North 26^th. 

Officers heard squealing tires and observed blue smoke rolling off the tires…and saw a vehicle accelerating in reverse at high rate of speed.  The vehicle accelerated in reverse until spinning around to drive forward. 

A police officer initiated a pursuit as the vehicle accelerated southbound on North 26^th until entering onto Lincoln Street.  On one part of Lincoln, the westbound vehicle drifted into the eastbound lane, causing traffic to make evasive maneuvers into a ditch area off Lincoln Street. 

The vehicle then attempted a quick turn onto 21^st Street but drove up on the curb and into a grassy area.  It then turned into a driveway in the 19-hundred block of Washington Street.  The driver’s door opened and the driver did not comply with orders by an officer. The officer attempted to pull the driver from the vehicle, but he resisted.  The officer was able to eventually gain control of the suspect and placed him in handcuffs.

Police identified the man arrested as 24-year-old Justin Crouse, of Beatrice…on suspicion of flight to avoid arrest, resisting arrest, obstructing and willful reckless driving.