SOUTH BEND- A South Bend man is in jail for numerous offenses after leading an Indiana State Trooper on a brief chase on Wednesday.
On February 21, 2024, at approximately 10:53 p.m., Trooper Garrett Tharp made a traffic stop on a tan Chevrolet for an equipment violation near the intersection of Bendix Drive and Cleveland Road. The Chevrolet stopped in the right lane, and as Tharp approached the driver’s side of the Chevrolet, the driver is alleged to have put the car in gear, fleeing westbound on Cleveland Road.
Near the intersection of Cleveland Road and Ralph Jones Drive, Tharp saw the driver throw something out of the car before the driver came to a stop on Ralph Jones Drive north of the intersection. The driver, identified as Clifton Vortice, 43, of South Bend, IN, was safely taken into custody. Vortice was allegedly showing signs of being under the influence of drugs while speaking with Tharp. Vortice was transported to a local hospital to have a certified test completed. The results of this test are pending.
Further investigation resulted in troopers finding a bag containing approximately 15 grams of suspected MDMA (ecstasy) that Vortice allegedly threw from the car while fleeing. Troopers also located suspected marijuana in the Chevrolet.
Vortice was transported to the St. Joseph County Jail for Dealing a Controlled Substance, Possession of a Controlled Substance, Obstruction of Justice, Resisting Law Enforcement, Driving While Suspended-Prior, Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Paraphernalia, and Operating While Intoxicated.
