A man accused of auto theft and resisting arrest has pleaded guilty in Elkhart County Court.

Court documents say Chad Heflin, II, stole a car in December 2023 while its owner was making a DoorDash delivery. When she returned, the car was gone. She recalled seeing a woman in a wheelchair and a man with a long beard near where she had parked.

Elkhart police later spotted the stolen vehicle. When an officer attempted a traffic stop, the driver initially slowed but then sped off, leading to a chase that ended in a crash with a streetlight.

The Goshen News reports three people fled the car, but officers caught two, who identified Heflin as the driver. Police found his debit card in the vehicle and matched surveillance footage to his photos.

Heflin initially pleaded not guilty but later changed his plea. He will serve time, join a recovery program, and be on probation for two years.