Staff report
Bloomington, Indiana – October 7, 2023
A dramatic video capturing a driver’s attempt to flee from police through Rose Hill Cemetery has ignited a flurry of online interest. However, a closer look reveals that the incident, which allegedly saw a Mercedes getting stuck on a gravestone, did not result in multiple gravestones being run over, just one.
The viral video, shared on Bar Stool Indiana’s Instagram page, features a group of males narrating as they record the unfolding events. They claimed the car in question ran over a gravestone during the pursuit.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CyGR2TKrPrE/
Upon investigation by The Bloomingtonian, a gravestone matching the location where the car became lodged was indeed found. The scene displayed plastic car parts scattered on the grass and what appeared to be a skid mark next to the gravestone. Notably, the corners of the gravestone showed signs of chipping.
The gravestone belongs to a young boy named Steven W. Patton, whose life spanned from August 27, 1979, to December 14, 1982. The inscription reads, “Our Beloved Son. Rest in Peace.” Additionally, it appeared that the headstone had been dislodged from its base due to the impact of the car.
Bloomington Police Department Captain Ryan Pedigo confirmed on Saturday that the incident did indeed involve a pursuit within the cemetery. He stated, “We did have a pursuit yesterday that went through a cemetery. The suspect was arrested and charged with several crimes. The suspect’s name is Mohamed Abou, DOB 04/20/2005.”
According to the Monroe County Jail log, Abou, a Bloomington resident, was apprehended in the 1100 block of West 4th Street around 4:06 p.m. on October 6, 2023. He is currently facing preliminary charges that include theft, intimidation, resisting law enforcement, criminal confinement, possession/use of a legend drug or precursor, obliterating a gun serial number, criminal recklessness, criminal mischief to a cemetery, leaving the scene of an accident, and gun possession by a serious violent felon.
The police chase began after authorities spotted a tan vehicle, believed to be connected to a theft, shortly before 4 p.m. According to police scanner dispatches the complainant had reported that the suspect had stolen his grandmother’s gun, prompting him to follow the suspect. The suspect was driving a tan passenger car westbound on Winslow.
Fearing for his safety, the person following the suspect expressed concerns that the suspect might use the stolen firearm.
Police initiated a pursuit of the suspect’s vehicle, a Mercedes c280 occupied by two individuals. The pursuit led through various streets in Bloomington, eventually entering Rose Hill Cemetery, where the driver’s attempt to flee was thwarted.
The male driver and a female passenger were both detained at 4:06 p.m. The incident resulted in damage to a limestone wall along Adams Street, which police documented for evidence.
A tow truck was subsequently called to remove the vehicle from the scene.
