Sheriff’s Office K9 Vehicle Damaged by Impaired Motorist

At 2:17AM on Friday December 11, 2020, the Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office was dispatched to I-69, near the Green River Road exit for a motor vehicle crash. Deputies  located a 2012 Audi AQ5 and a 2010 Ford Ranger in the median with heavy damage. The investigation resulted in the arrest of the driver of the Audi, Ryan Allen Jones,for operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated. Jones’ had a breath alcohol concentration  of 0.208 g/210 mL of breath.  

Deputies temporarily closed one of the northbound lanes of I-69 traffic in order for debris to be cleared from the roadway. While blocking the traffic lane a Sheriff’s Office vehicle, occupied by the deputy and his K9 partner, was rear ended by a 2016 Kia Sorento. The sport utility vehicle then crashed into the equipment trailer of the recovery crew that was clearing the debris. Even though there was condsiderable damage no one (including the canine) was injured during the crash.

The resulting investigation revealed that the driver, Ms. Breanne Kyle Lahart, was also under the influence of alcohol. Lahart failed on scene Standardized Field Sobriety Testing; however the Sheriff’s Office is awaiting confirmatory analysis of her blood by the Indiana Department of Toxicology. Lahart was arrested on probable cause and has a prior conviction for operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated in 2016. 

Arrested: (left) Ryan Allen Jones, 33, of Loogottee, IN and (right) Breanne Kyle Lahart, 28, of Evansville, IN. The image of Lahart is from her 2016 arrest. 

Imaged above is the damaged Sheriff’s Office vehicle.

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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