BY JOHN REED LEADER EDITOR
KNOX — A Knox police officer, fearing for his life when a suspect aimed his pickup truck at the officer, fired seven shots into the suspect’s truck during a wild Friday night incident that involved many officers.
The suspect had just backed onto the top of a Starke County squad car and drove forward, aiming directly at Officer Christopher Kisela.

The suspect, Shannon Watts, 28, 1795 S. 350 E., Knox, was still at large as of press time.
The incident began close to 10 p.m. Friday, April 17, with Deputy Brack Rowe in pursuit of a speeding red full-size pickup truck. The truck was traveling at 81 miles per hour in a 30-mile per hour zone.
Kisela had just left the Knox Police Station when, at the corner of U.S. 35 and Washington Street, he heard dispatchers report Rowe was trying to stop the pickup on 25 North.
Kisela activated his lights and headed north on U.S. 35 to assist. Rowe then reported he was headed south on 500 East and Kisela turned around to go back on U.S. 35 parallel to Rowe. At the railroad tracks in downtown Knox, Rowe reported the pursuit was then headed west on John Street, directly toward Kisela.
Kisela circled around and, as he came to Delaware Street, he saw the red pickup, driving without lights, coming west on Delaware with Rowe close behind. Kisela stopped and, in his report, said it appeared the pickup driver was stopping. “I believed the driver was going to give up,” he said
 Kisela got out of his squad car, unholstered his service pistol and took up a position at the front of his squad car.
At that point the suspect, Watts, backed his pickup completely onto the top of the county squad car.
“I was not sure at the time what had happened to Deputy Rowe because the truck completely covered his vehicle,” Kisela reported. Kisela said the pickup was “directly pointing at me and my commission (squad car).” Kisela said he moved out of the way and turned facing the truck which was coming directly toward him and fired his pistol at the truck.
“I also heard other shots being fired at that time. I was not sure where the shots were coming from at first. I continued to discharge my pistol until the truck went toward the intersection of U.S. 35. In total, I discharged my pistol seven times into the side of the truck at the driver’s door,” Kisela said.
Many residents in Knox and surrounding areas reported hearing gunshots and sirens wailing for several hours Friday night and early Saturday morning as police continued to search for the suspect.  
Police were checking vehicles in the area, on Roosevelt and Culver roads among others. During the search, canine officers from LaPorte and Porter counties assisted Knox Officer Chad Dulin.
In a related incident, LaPorte Officer Jim Gaskill and Deputy Josh Sponaugle were searching an area along 100 South when they encountered a man standing outside his home, with his dog. The officers repeatedly requested the man return to his house for his personal safety, according to police reports.
The man was belligerent and  reportedly kept yelling and cursing at the officers and Sponaugle was struck by the suspect. State troopers also assisted in the search. The suspect, 46, was arrested and initially charged with resisting law enforcement, disorderly conduct and battery on a law enforcement officer.
In a routine process, Kisela was interviewed by LaPorte County Detective Al Ott, surrendered his weapon and was placed on leave until the investigation is complete.
Additional details were not available at press time.