WHITLEY COUNTY, Ind. (WANE) — The Whitley County Prosecutor filed charges against the man police say was behind the wheel of a car that crashed into a Whitley County Sheriff’s car, killing K9 Cas.

The driver was identified as Clarence Shearer, 31 of Fort Wayne. He’s facing a felony charges of unlawful possession of a firearm, causing death of a law enforcement animal while operating a motor vehicle, resisting law enforcement, and criminal recklessness with a firearm.

Clarence Shearer, 31, was taken into custody and booked into the Allen County Jail.

According Indiana State Police, the crash was the result of a multi-county police chase. The pursuit began around 3:30 p.m. after a car was stolen at gunpoint near the LifePlex gym off U.S. 30 in Plymouth.

An Indiana State Police Trooper identified the car, a black Chrysler, traveling eastbound on U.S. 30 near Foxrfarm Road and attempted to pull the car over near Meijer Drive in Kosciusko County. The car pulled over and a passenger got out, but then the driver sped away.

The driver refused to stop while being chased by several police departments on U.S. 30. The pursuit eventually entered Whitley County where a Whitley County deputy positioned his car to stop the Chrysler at the CR 450 intersection.

The Chrysler attempted to avoid the stop sticks and crashed into the deputy’s vehicle with K9 Cas inside. The crash caused the police car to burst into flames. Officers were unable to get the K9 out of the car and it died on the scene. The deputy was not hurt.

Shearer suffered minor injuries and was taken to a local hospital.

The department posted about the crash on Facebook saying, “It is with heavy hearts that Sheriff Gatton announces the passing of K9 Cas. Deputy Archbold was not injured in the incident.”

Previous mug shot of Clarence Shearer, 31.

Photos shared with WANE 15 show a sheriff’s cruiser fully engulfed in flames.

The westbound lanes of U.S. 30 remain closed while police continue to investigate. The eastbound lanes have been reopened. The westbound lanes are expected to reopen at approximately 8 p.m.

A memorial service to honor K-9 Cas was held July 17 at 10:30 a.m. at the First Church of God, 1200 W. Depoy Drive in Columbia City.

Memorial donations can be made in Cas’s name to the Whitley County Sheriff’s Department K9 Fund, 101 Market St., Columbia City, IN 46725.