MIDDLETOWN, Ind. (WXIN) — Google Maps Street View could soon feature breakneck snapshots of an in-progress police pursuit in Indiana.
A Florida man, who claimed to work for the mapping tech giant, is accused of leading Middletown police officers on a high-speed chase while a 360-degree camera was mounted to the roof of his car.
Coleman Ferguson was being held in the Henry County Jail on Tuesday, facing one count of resisting law enforcement with a vehicle, a Level 6 felony.
According to the Middletown Police Department, a car with “Google Maps Street View” printed on its side was clocked driving past a high school on U.S. 36 at speeds in excess of 100 mph Monday evening. The posted speed limit on that stretch of road is 55 mph and 40 mph when the school zone lights are flashing.
The Middletown officer said the Google car was passing several other vehicles while traveling westbound on U.S. 36 at a high rate of speed. As the vehicle passed, the officer noted the 360-degree cameras mounted to a tall antenna atop the car and gave chase.
Police said Ferguson was still driving at speeds “well over 100 miles per hour” while he passed several other vehicles and refused to pull over for police.
The officer chased Ferguson into Madison County, where the driver slowed down before running a red light.
Police said Ferguson turned the Google car south, just east of Pendleton, because a bridge was out. Ferguson then reportedly lost control of the Google car and drove through a yard before crashing into a creek and becoming stuck.
After being taken into custody, Ferguson told police he worked for Google and was “scared to stop.”