A Columbus man who has been arrested multiple times in recent years was taken into custody again after leading law enforcement on a pursuit Thursday morning.

About 8:00 am Thursday, Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Deputy Matt Bush observed a vehicle at the intersection of 10th and National Road where it appeared the driver was visibly nervous and attempting to conceal his face. 

Deputy Bush ran a routine check of the license plate, which revealed that the plate was stolen out of Bartholomew County. The deputy attempted to stop the vehicle, but it fled from the Walmart parking lot and traveled through the south part of Columbus. During the pursuit, the driver drove through a bean field and onto a sidewalk. 

On Gladstone Avenue and McKinley, the driver later identified as Dominique Nichols, 27, of Columbus, fled on foot. Nichols did not put the stolen truck in park and it rolled into a fence of a residence causing minor damage. 

After a short foot pursuit, Nichols was apprehended. Further investigation revealed that not only was the license plate stolen in Bartholomew County the truck itself had been stolen in Johnson County. 

Nichols was transported to Columbus Regional Hospital for jail clearance due to him allegedly ingesting methamphetamine. 

Nichols is being held on the following charges: Resisting law enforcement in a vehicle, resisting law enforcement on foot, leaving the scene of an accident, theft of a vehicle, theft of a license plate and reckless driving. 

“This is yet another example of a career criminal putting the community at risk by their reckless actions,” said Sheriff Matt Myers. “Mr. Nichols has been arrested nine times in Bartholomew County alone since 2018.”