The South Bend Police Department’s newly launched Drone as First Responder program has played a key role in its first arrest.

According to police, the incident happened Thursday, March 19, around 2:50 p.m., when officers attempted to stop a rider on a motorized minibike near Marine Street and Haney Avenue. Authorities say the minibike did not have a license plate.

The rider refused to stop, leading officers on a pursuit through residential areas. Police say the suspect drove through yards and along sidewalks before entering a pedestrian path off Northside Boulevard. Officers ultimately terminated the pursuit due to safety concerns.

Despite ending the chase, a police crime analyst operating a drone continued to track the suspect from the air. The drone pilot observed the rider hiding in the 600 block of River Avenue and relayed that information to officers on the ground.

Officers then located and arrested the suspect, identified as 18-year-old Anthony Bridges Jr.

During the arrest, police say Bridges was found to be in possession of a firearm that had been reported stolen out of Mishawaka. Officers also noted that the minibike did not have a license plate or a visible VIN.

Bridges was taken to the St. Joseph County Jail on several preliminary charges related to the incident. Formal charges are pending review by the St. Joseph County Prosecutor’s Office.