South Bend, IN – Two 18-year-old men have been arrested after an early morning police pursuit reportedly followed a carjacking in South Bend, according to the South Bend Police Department.
Authorities said officers were called around 2:30 a.m. Friday, December 5, 2025, to the area of Jefferson Boulevard and Niles Avenue for a report of a stolen vehicle.
According to police, the victim told officers he met two men and offered them a ride due to the cold weather. When he stopped to let them out, one allegedly pulled a handgun and ordered him out of the vehicle, threatening to shoot him.
Responding officers later spotted the stolen vehicle near Lincoln Way West and Wilber Street, initiating a traffic stop. Police say the driver refused to stop, leading to a pursuit that ended in the 1500 block of S. Taylor Street, where both suspects were taken into custody.
The suspects, identified by police as Rodney Turner Jr. and Damarion Hipksind, were transported to the St. Joseph County Jail.
The St. Joseph County Prosecutor’s Office has charged Turner with multiple felonies including robbery, auto theft, intimidation, and resisting law enforcement, along with misdemeanors. Hipksind faces one misdemeanor charge for resisting law enforcement.
Police remind the public that all individuals are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
This article was produced by a journalist and may include AI-assisted input. All content is reviewed for accuracy and fairness.
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