Suspect climbs up tree, yells for help, then falls and gets wedged in branches

SYRACUSE, Ind. (WISH) — Before the struggle in the woods, Indiana State Police says an axe-wielding suspect caused some chaos in Kosciusko County.

Aug. 9, ISP was called in to help find a suspect that fled a “chaotic scene” in the 9000 block of North State Road 13, south of Lake Wawasee. ISP says that 39-year-old Michael Baker used an axe to threaten a victim, then steal a Ford pickup truck. Behind the wheel of that truck, Baker rammed into into another vehicle then fled.

Tracks in the grass led ISP troopers to a wooded area to the north where the stolen Ford was found. A police dog, named Daisy, tracked Baker for 30 minutes. Then, ISP said, troopers heard “yells for help coming from deeper in the woods.” Troopers called out, but there was no response.

They spread out, searching the woods in a grid for almost an hour and a half until, at 12:19 a.m., Baker was spotted 20 feet up in a tree.

ISP says Baker took his T-shirt, tied it into a loop around his neck, then used that to climb up the tree. It took some talking from police, but Baker began to climb down. On his way down, he fell and got wedged in branches about 10 feet from the ground.

“Baker eventually fell to the ground and was taken into custody,” ISP says.

Baker was evaluated at the scene by medics then taken to jail. He faces five charges including three felonies.

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