FRENCH LICK — A reported auto theft from a local dealership on Wednesday afternoon escalated into a multi-agency police pursuit, a foot chase, and a Taser deployment, resulting in the arrest of two French Lick men.
The incident began on Wednesday, July 1, at approximately 4:25 p.m., when the Orange County Dispatch center alerted area law enforcement to look out for a white 2007 Hummer that had just been stolen from French Lick Auto Sales.
Shortly after the dispatch went out, Indiana State Police Master Trooper Patrick Stinson spotted the stolen Hummer traveling down State Road 145 near French Lick. When Trooper Stinson activated his emergency lights to initiate a traffic stop, the driver refused to yield, triggering a brief vehicular pursuit.
The Hummer eventually came to a halt, at which point the driver abruptly bolted from the SUV and ran into a dense, wooded area.
As Trooper Stinson dealt with the fleeing driver, the passenger, later identified as 42-year-old Tyler W. Cox of French Lick, exited the vehicle and confronted the trooper. During the tense encounter, Trooper Stinson deployed his Taser (Electronic Control Device), successfully neutralizing the threat. Cox was taken into custody and transported to IU Health Paoli Hospital for standard medical clearance before being booked into the county jail.
While Cox was processed, a massive contingent of state and local officers flooded the area to conduct an extensive grid search for the driver, but they were initially unable to track him down.
The driver’s freedom proved short-lived. At approximately 7:21 p.m., roughly three hours after the initial theft, ISP Trooper Blake Leary was patrolling State Road 145 when he spotted a man matching the suspect’s description walking along the shoulder of the highway.
Trooper Leary positively identified the man as the driver, 33-year-old Johnathon F. Smedley of French Lick, and arrested him without further incident.
Both Smedley and Cox are currently being held on bond at the Orange County Jail. Following the joint state and local investigation, prosecutors have leveled several preliminary charges against the duo.
Smedley is facing charges of vehicle theft, a Level 6 felony; theft, a Level 6 felony; resisting law enforcement with a vehicle, a Level 6 felony; resisting law enforcement, a Class A misdemeanor; and driving while suspended with a prior conviction, a Class A misdemeanor.
Cox is facing charges of vehicle theft, a Level 6 felony; theft, a Level 6 felony; resisting law enforcement, a Class A misdemeanor; and public intoxication, a Class B misdemeanor.
The primary arrests were executed through the combined efforts of ISP Master Trooper Stinson, Trooper Leary, and French Lick Police Assistant Chief Brian Shipman.
A heavy law enforcement presence supported the operation, including ISP Lieutenant Brock Werne, Sergeant Robert Lambert, and Troopers Andrew Recker, Austin Collins, Jack Fischer, and Elijah Mundy. The Orange County Sheriff’s Office and the Paoli Police Department also provided critical assistance during the tracking phase.
The French Lick Police Department has assumed the lead role in the ongoing investigation.
Those facing criminal charges are considered innocent until proven guilty through a fair and due legal process. Accusations alone do not imply guilt; the judicial system will evaluate the presented evidence to reach a verdict.
