SUBJECT: Sheriff’s Deputies and ISP Troopers Assigned to Fugitive Task Force Arrest Escapee
RELEASE NUMBER: 2017-NR-023
CONTACT: Lt. Noah Robinson
AUTHORITY: Sheriff David Wedding
On Sunday, February 26, 2017 Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office deputies and Indiana State Police troopers assigned to the United States Marshals Service Fugitive Task Force located an escapee from the Kentucky Department of Corrections.
Mr. William Fulks of Chandler, Indiana was serving the remainder of a 10-year prison sentence at Dismas Charities Portland Halfway House in Louisville, KY. Mr. Fulks had been previously convicted of Manufacturing Methamphetamine and Bail Jumping. Kentucky inmates of certain classification types who are near their parole eligibility dates are sometimes placed in halfway houses such as Dismas Charities. On February 18, 2017 at 8:30 PM Mr. Fulks climbed the facility wall in the recreation yard and escaped.
A bulletin was sent out to all regional law enforcement agencies concerning Mr. Fulks. Deputies and troopers assigned to the Task Force received information that Mr. Fulks was staying at the Locust Hill Motel on South 161 in Rockport, IN.
Task Force members began surveillance at the motel and observed Mr. Fulks exit and then return to one of the rooms. Task Force members and ISP troopers surrounded the motel room and attempted to get Mr. Fulks to surrender. Mr. Fulks could be heard yelling, “You are going to take me out of here in a body bag, I’m going to come out blazing.”
Mr. Fulks eventually exited the room and began moving toward the officers in a threatening manner. Mr. Fulks was hit with a Taser and taken into custody. No firearm was recovered on him or in his motel room. Mr. Fulks would later admit that he was trying to get the officers to kill him.
Mr. Fulks was transported to Vanderburgh County and booked into the jail on the Escape warrant from Kentucky as well as a local Failure to Appear warrant, which was related to some outstanding traffic violations.
ARRESTED:
William Thomas Fulks (pictured above), 35, of Chandler, Indiana.
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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