Three arrested following lengthy pursuit

Trio faces multiple drug-related charges

Frank Denzler

An attempt by Rushville Police Department officer Brandon Reynolds to stop a speeding motorist led to a pursuit and the eventual arrest of three individuals shortly before 2 a.m. Wednesday.

According to the officer, shortly after 1 a.m. he observed an eastbound blue Dodge Caravan exceeding the posted speed limit of 40 m.p.h. near the East Hill Cemetery and attempted to stop the vehicle.

The driver, identified as Glenwood resident Danny Downs Jr., 19, failed to stop and instead increased his speed as he tried to elude the officer.

As Reynolds radioed for assistance the occupants in the vehicle discarded what was later found to be a fire extinguisher from the van.

Reynolds said the canister was later found to contain anhydrous ammonia and that the investigation found that its contents had been stolen earlier in the evening from the co-op in Homer.

As the pursuit continued and county law enforcement officers from the Rush County Sheriff’s Department converged on the area, a passenger, Bruce E. Allen, 25, of Straughn, jumped out of the moving van in the 4500 block of Orange Pike.

“After ordering the suspect to stop or I would release my K9 the individual continued to leave the area on foot,” Reynolds said.

After being released, RPD K9 Mundy stopped and contained Allen roughly 40 yards from the county road.

In the meantime, the van continued traveling Rush County roads in an attempt to escape the closing net of other officers in the area until it reached the 2800 block of South CR 800E where it struck Rush County Sheriff’s Department deputy Steve Houston’s vehicle.

Deputies then took Downs and Bradley W. Hall, 23, of Connersville into custody without further incident.

The impact with the RCSD vehicle caused minor damage to Houston’s 2008 Durango while extensively damaging Downs’ older model Dodge.

There were no injuries reported as a result of the collision.

Downs, Allen and Hall are facing a variety of charges.

Downs is charged with theft (class “D” felony), resisting law enforcement with a vehicle (class “D” felony), possession of drug precursors including anhydrous ammonia (class “D” felony), reckless driving (class “A” misdemeanor), criminal recklessness (class “A” misdemeanor), and improper storage and transport of anhydrous ammonia (class “A” misdemeanor).

Downs is also facing multiple speeding citations as a result of the event, and citations for driving left of center and disregarding a posted stop or yield signage.

Hall is charged with possession of a controlled substance (class “D” felony), theft (class “D” felony), possession of drug paraphernalia (class “A” misdemeanor), possession of drug precursors including anhydrous ammonia (class “D” felony), improper storage and transport of anhydrous ammonia (class “A” misdemeanor).

Allen is charged with theft (class “D” felony), possession of drug precursors (class “A” misdemeanor), possession of anhydrous ammonia (class “D” felony), improper storage and transport of anhydrous ammonia (class “A” misdemeanor) and resisting law enforcement.

The three individuals were booked into the Rush County Jail; bond information was not available at press time.

Rush County Sheriff Jeff Sherwood applauded the efforts of the officers involved.

“It was a good job on the part of all of those involved and a good job on the part of the observation of Brandon. It is my understanding that one of the fleeing suspects was bit by the RPD K9,” Sherwood said.

Rushville Chief of Police Ron Cameron confirmed that Allen was bitten by K9 officer Mundy and also complimented the officers’ efforts.

Assisting the RPD and the RCSD were units from the Indiana State Police, who investigated the accident, and personnel from the Glenwood Volunteer Fire Department, who destroyed the fire extinguisher containing the volatile anhydrous ammonia.



Frank Denzler can be contacted at (765) 932-2222 ext. 106 or via e-mail at frank.denzler@rushvillerepublican.com. To add a comment to this story visit our Web site at www.rushvillerepublican.com.

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