Five Minutes, Two Pursuits on Evansville’s West Side

The Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office was involved in two separate vehicle pursuits last night, both occurring within five minutes of each other.

On Friday, December 21, 2018 at approximately 11:50 PM a deputy observed a green Ford F150 pick-up truck run a red light at W. Lloyd Expressway and Rosenberger Avenue. The deputy attempted to stop the vehicle, but the driver fled. When the deputy checked the license plate number through central dispatch, he learned the license plate had been reported stolen.

During the pursuit the vehicle drove at a high rate of speed and failed to stop at several stop signs. The vehicle nearly collided with another motorist on Claremont Avenue east of S. Red Bank Road. The pursuit ended when the driver and passenger stopped and exited the vehicle in front of Schnucks grocery store. The driver left the vehicle in drive, causing the truck to crash into a parked brown Buick Lesabre. After striking the parked vehicle, the truck crashed into a shopping cart return in the parking lot.

The driver, later identified as Mr. Joseph Wayne Tucker, attempted to leave the scene by walking into Schnuck’s. Tucker was taken into custody inside the store by the Evansville Police Department. The passenger was detained at the crash scene.

The Ford F150 had been reported stolen by the Henderson Police Department. According to the Henderson Police Department; Mr. Tucker test drove the vehicle four days ago and never returned the vehicle to the owner. The license plate on the vehicle had been reported stolen by the Evansville Police Department in early December.

Mr. Tucker remains lodged in the Vanderburgh County Jail on $10,000 bond.

At approximately 11:59 PM, a deputy attempted to stop a reckless driver on W. Lloyd Expressway. The deputy had been westbound on Lloyd Expressway with lights and siren activated while responding to the earlier pursuit. As the deputy approached the Fulton Avenue on-ramp he observed a white Pontiac G6 sedan strike a curb before aggressively over-correcting back into the west bound lanes of the Lloyd Expressway. The vehicle then struck a curb near Wabash Avenue of Flags, this time almost crashing. The deputy then positioned his cruiser behind the vehicle in an attempt to get the vehicle to stop. The vehicle continued westbound for another mile before taking the Corbierre Avenue exit and coming to a stop.

The deputy made contact with the driver, who identified herself as Ms. Lisa Jo Dagley. Ms. Dagley appeared disoriented and unable to understand simple verbal commands. She smelled strongly of alcoholic beverages and failed all standardized field sobriety tests. She would later refuse to submit to a breath test at the jail.

Ms. Dagley was abusive towards the confinement officers at the jail and had to be placed in a restraint chair. Ms. Dagley kicked a confinement officer in the head while she was being restrained.

Ms. Dagley remains in the Vanderburgh County Jail on $3,000 bond.

The Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office and Evansville Police Department will continue increased traffic enforcement during the holidays. Both agencies are joining law-enforcement agencies across the country to participate in the winter “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” enforcement mobilization going on now through January 1st.

With all of today’s options for getting home safely, there’s no excuse for getting behind the wheel impaired. We recommend these safe alternatives to impaired driving:

• Designate, or be, a sober driver.
• Use public transportation.
• Call a cab or a ridesharing service.
• Download the SaferRide mobile app on the Android Play Store or the Apple iTunes Store. 
• Celebrate at home or a place where you can stay until sober.
• Throwing a party? Offer non-alcoholic beverages and plenty of food.
• Never provide alcohol to minors.
• Ask young drivers about their plans.
• Friend or family member about to drive? Take the keys and make alternate arrangements.

ARRESTED:

Joseph Wayne Tucker (pictured above), 52, of Evansville. Auto Theft as a Level 6 Felony, Resisting Law Enforcement as a Level 6 Felony, Resisting Law Enforcement as a Class A Misdemeanor, Receiving Stolen Property as a Class A Misdemeanor, Criminal Mischief as a Class B Misdemeanor, Leaving the Scene of an Accident as a Class B Misdemeanor, Reckless Driving as a Class C Misdemeanor

Lisa Jo Dagley (pictured above), 35, of Evansville. Resisting Law Enforcement as a Level 6 Felony, Operating a Motor Vehicle while Intoxicated with Test Refusal as a Class A Misdemeanor, Operating a Motor Vehicle while Intoxicated as a Class C Misdemeanor

Presumption of Innocence Notice: The fact that a person has been arrested or charged with a crime is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law.

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