JASPER, Ind (WEHT) — The Dubois County Sheriff’s Office says a dangerous pursuit of a stolen vehicle ended in a crash and chase on foot Tuesday morning.
Deputies state it started when they responded to a possible stolen white transit van that traveled from Interstate 64 onto State Road 162. According to the sheriff’s office, the van didn’t stop when deputies tried to pull it over.
After traveling into Jasper city limits, the van ran over police stop sticks. Deputies detail the next moments as the driver continued to drive recklessly. The sheriff’s office says the driver hit the gas and took police on chase that went as high as 100 miles per hour.
According to deputies, this high speed chase traveled through busy morning traffic in a 45 mph zone. Authorities accuse the driver of driving in the opposite lane, causing other drivers to veer off the road to avoid a crash.
The high speed pursuit eventually came to an end when the driver reportedly ran over a fence and T-post before crashing into railroad tracks. Deputies say the driver jumped out of the van and ran along the tracks. Officials on scene say witnesses saw the suspect running towards EHH Trucking.
Police tell us they found the suspect ducking between two trailers. According to authorities, the suspect refused to follow commands and took off running again. DCSO says the man then stopped, placed his hands in the air and got on the ground.
Authorities identified the suspect as 38-year-old William A. Tatum of West Monroe, Louisiana. He was arrested and booked into jail on charges of:
- Resisting law enforcement with a vehicle
- Criminal recklessness
- Vehicle theft
- Resisting law enforcement on foot
- Aggressive driving–Reckless driving
- Operating while intoxicated – endangerment
- OWI with a metabolite
