By Blake Haas

BLOOMINGTON – A Bloomington man remains behind bars on gun, drugs, and traffic charges after authorities say he fled the scene after backing into a Street Crimes Unit vehicle.

Last Wednesday, Bloomington Police Department’s Street Crimes Unit (SCU) attempted to stop Jose Arizmendi, 32, of Bloomington for a traffic stop near Greyhound Rd and Southgate Dr.

Before the stop, officers knew Arizmendi had two active McLean County warrants for Violation of an Order of Protection and Resisting a Peace Officer, along with not having a valid driver’s license.

During the stop, patrol officers asked Arizmendi to exit his vehicle, in which officers report he did not comply. Authorities allege Arizmendi then put his vehicle into reverse and backed into a BPD SCU vehicle.

Then, authorities report he drove forward between two SCU officers, who were standing in the street, and fled from the scene at a high rate of speed. Due to Arizmendi’s high rate of speed, officers did not chase him.

A short time later, Police received a call about a crash that matched Arizmendi’s vehicle. The witness reported the vehicle had crashed in the 1000 block of S. Wright St. damaging a tree and backyard decorations.

Once on the scene, officers report that Arizmendi fled the crash. After using a K9 and other investigative tools, officers then found Arizmendi at his home, where Police used a search warrant to enter the house to arrest Arizmendi.

As a result of the search warrant, Police allegedly located an unlawfully possessed pistol and ammo along with cocaine and other evidence of drug sales.

The McLean County State’s Attorney’s office charged Arizmendi with illegal possession of drug paraphernalia, illegal possession of ammunition with no FOID card, manufacture/delivery cannabis, and aggravated fleeing.

Additionally, authorities charged Arizmendi with possession of a controlled substance and criminal damage to government property.

No officers were injured during the incident, and Arizmendi’s bond is set at $5,035 cash.

Blake Haas can be reached at [email protected].