(MONROE CO.) – Police in Monroe County arrested a suspected impaired driver after a dangerous pursuit that reached speeds between 80 and 100 miles per hour.
A deputy captured the pursuit on his dashboard camera in a video lasting nearly 30 minutes. The dash cam footage showed a blue and silver truck driving erratically on I-69 south. Monroe County Sheriff’s Department Lt. Allen Mullis noticed the car while heading home after working third shift on the morning of July 4, 2019.
Around 6:47 a.m., Lt. Allen Mullis first saw the truck coming off the Tapp Road on-ramp at a high rate of speed, cross all the lanes of I-69 and almost sideswipe the concrete divider between the north and south lanes. The truck then crossed all the lanes again and almost struck the guardrail on the west side of the road.Â
After alerting other deputies, a traffic stop was attempted near Monroe Hospital but the vehicle continued driving south on I-69 toward Greene County at speeds of 80 to 100 mph, narrowly missing several vehicles along the way.
The suspect’s vehicle continued driving all over the roadway as the chase entered Greene County near the 104-mile marker. It was in this area the suspect crossed over and began driving south in the northbound lanes of I-69, before crossing back over approximately one mile later.
The pursuit continued south on I-69 to the 98 exit, then north on State Road 45 near Owensburg. After many more near misses, driving on the wrong side of the road and speeds close to double the posted speed limits, the pursuit came back into Monroe County.
Deputy Bennett Dillon was able to set up stop sticks near Abell Nursery, while Bloomington Police Officers shut down westbound traffic at State Road 45 and Airport Road.
Deputy Dillon was successful in deploying Stinger brand spike strips to deflate the suspect’s driver side tires, taking the pursuit from speeds of 80 to 90mph down to 50 to 60 mph. But, even with the flat tires, the truck continued toward town and much higher populated areas and larger, more busy intersections and roadways.
It was at this time Lt. Mullis began efforts to force the vehicle off the roadway in an attempt to avoid anyone from getting hurt. The pursuit ended in front of the Bloomington Walmart.
The male suspect was taken to the IU Bloomington Hospital for medical clearance before being booked into jail on charges of operating a vehicle while intoxicated, resisting arrest with a vehicle, possession of a controlled substance and reckless driving.
