A South Bend man was arrested Tuesday evening following a violent confrontation with law enforcement that included ramming police vehicles, striking a civilian car, and confronting officers while armed with a machete, authorities said.
According to the Wheatfield Police Department, officers and deputies with the Jasper County Sheriff’s Department responded around 5:11 p.m. on February 3, 2026, to a traffic stop at the Family Express gas station located at 51 E. State Road 10.
Police said the driver refused to identify himself and declined repeated commands to exit the vehicle. Officers also reported observing behavior consistent with possible drug impairment, prompting additional law enforcement units to respond to the scene.
As deputies attempted to prevent the suspect from fleeing, investigators allege the driver deliberately rammed two fully marked law-enforcement vehicles. One deputy’s squad car was struck while the deputy was still inside.
Authorities said the suspect then fled the area, striking a civilian vehicle at the intersection of State Road 10 and State Road 49. The pursuit ended when the suspect’s vehicle became disabled near State Road 49 and South Street.
Police said the driver exited the vehicle armed with a machete and ignored repeated commands to drop the weapon. Due to what officers described as an immediate threat, a Conducted Energy Weapon (Taser) was deployed, allowing officers to safely take the suspect into custody.
The suspect was identified as Duncan Davis, 45, of South Bend. He was evaluated at the scene by Wheatfield EMS and transported to Franciscan Health Rensselaer for medical clearance before being booked into the Jasper County Jail.
One deputy sustained injuries when a law-enforcement vehicle was rammed during the incident. The deputy was treated at a local hospital and later released.
Indiana State Police are handling the crash investigation. Authorities later confirmed the vehicle Davis was driving had been reported stolen out of Porter County.