DATE: January 05, 2025
SUBJECT: Armed Felon Out on Bond Flees from a Traffic Stop
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-NR-0105
CONTACT: Sheriff Noah Robinson
AUTHORITY: Sheriff Noah Robinson
In the early morning hours of January 5, 2025, deputies with the Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office apprehended Jake Fuchs, 30, after a high-speed vehicle pursuit and subsequent foot chase.
At approximately 12:56 a.m., a deputy operating a fully marked patrol vehicle observed a silver Ford Focus parked at a residence on the 500 block of N. Seventh Avenue. Upon noticing the deputy’s vehicle, the driver, later identified as Fuchs, fled at a high rate of speed without headlights.
The deputy activated his emergency lights and sirens to signal a traffic stop; however, Fuchs ignored the commands and continued to evade law enforcement, driving recklessly through city streets. Over the course of 10-minutes, Fuchs disregarded multiple traffic control devices, including stop signs, while reaching speeds of up to 85 mph.
The pursuit concluded when Fuchs lost control of his vehicle, striking the curb and landscaping in the 200 block of W. Iowa Street, rendering his vehicle inoperable. Fuchs then fled on foot, carrying a black and silver handgun. During the foot pursuit, Fuchs discarded the weapon into a fenced area near the scene. Deputies apprehended him shortly thereafter without further incident.
A subsequent criminal history check revealed that Fuchs is a convicted felon with prior convictions for Possession of Methamphetamine, Criminal Recklessness, Escape/Failure to Return, Unlawful Carrying of a Firearm, and Possession of an Altered Handgun. Fuchs was already scheduled to appear in court on Monday for a hearing related to his previous November 19, 2024 felony arrest, for Unlawful Carrying of a Handgun by a Felon.
Fuchs admitted to fleeing from deputies, citing “instincts” and a belief that he could evade capture. He also confessed to discarding the firearm due to his status as a felon.
ARRESTED:
Jake Lee Fuchs, 30, of Evansville, IN. Felon in Possession of Firearm as a Level 5 Felony, Resisting Law Enforcement as Level 6 Felony, Resisting Law Enforcement as a Class A Misdemeanor, Reckless Driving as a Class C Misdemeanor, Leaving the Scene Of A Crash as a Class B Misdemeanor, Drive while License Suspended as a Class A Infraction, various other traffic offenses.
Presumption of Innocence Notice: The fact that a person has been arrested or charged with a crime is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law.