ELKHART – An Elkhart man is in custody after police say he drove away with a sheriff’s patrol car left running outside his house while the officer investigated a disturbance inside.

Twenty-one-year-old Ryan Larson was arrested Sunday night after police located the stolen cruiser using global positioning system equipment.

The Elkhart County Police Department says an officer had gone to Larson’s house in response to a report of a dispute between Larson and his father. The officer left his squad car’s engine running while he went inside to investigate and survey damage.

Capt. Sean Holmes says Larson allegedly got in the cruiser and drove away, eventually losing control and hitting some traffic barrels. He fled on foot but was caught by Elkhart city police.

Holmes says the cruiser had minor damage.