Pursuit of Robbery Suspect Ends in Fatal Collision

On November 26, 2019 at approximately 09:27 AM the Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office was dispatched to a stolen vehicle in progress in the 4800 block of Rolling Ridge Drive. The victim stated that she was involved in a physical altercation with a boyfriend before he stole her vehicle and other personal belongings. 

Ten minutes later deputies located the stolen vehicle at State Road 65 (Big Cynthiana Road) and New Harmony Road. The vehicle initially stopped as deputies pulled the vehicle over, but as the deputies approached the driver sped away. The vehicle continued to drive north on State Road 65 while deputies pursued. Within moments the fleeing suspect vehicle crossed the roadway center line and struck a semi-tractor trailer head-on, which had been driving south on State Road 65.

The collision resulted in both vehicles immediately catching fire, but due to the extent of the damage the deputies were unable to free the suspect from his vehicle. Responding deputies were able to get the driver of the semi-truck out before both vehicles became fully engulfed by fire. The suspect driver was pronounced dead at the scene. The semi-truck driver was not injured during the collision.

The roadway was closed for approximately five hours while the scene was processed. Pursuant to state law regarding crashes involving serious bodily injury or death, the semi-truck driver voluntarily submitted to a post-crash toxicology screen. The crash is still under investigation. The victim’s identity will be released by the Vanderburgh County Coroner’s Office after family notifications have been made.

The suspect was found to have an active warrant for his arrest for burglary and for failing to return to lawful detention in another Indiana county. The associated report for the charges of robbery, auto theft and theft is documented in case number 19-66349. The case number for the pursuit and collision is 19-66348.

The above image was taken from the crash scene

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