Police find man after vehicle flips

Two Jackson County men accused of fleeing from police in separate incidents over the weekend remained in jail Monday at Brownstown.

Troy A. Campbell, 19, of 3311 Water St., Vallonia, faces at least a dozen charges in connection with an incident that began with a report of a disturbance at his residence early Sunday morning.

The second incident, which eventually led to the arrest of Otha T. Bryant, 26, of Freetown, was reported at 11:58 p.m. Friday.

Brownstown Officer John Long said the incident that led to Campbell's arrest began after Jackson County Sheriff's Department received the disturbance report.

Long said he and county Officer Rick Meyer along with county reserve officers Rick Hirtzel and Steve Murphy arrested two people for illegal consumption of alcohol and a third for disorderly conduct after responding to the disturbance.

Long said he and Meyer were en route to the Jackson County Jail  when Long saw a vehicle speeding toward Main and Commerce streets in Brownstown.

Long said he stopped his patrol car just in time to avoid being hit by the Explorer and was able to recognize both the vehicle and the individual driving it as the same one he and the other officers had just had contact with during the disturbance in Vallonia.

After the SUV almost struck Long's patrol car, the vehicle traveled east on Commerce Street at a high rate of speed toward Meyer's patrol vehicle, Long said.

Long said he remained behind the Explorer and began to radio dispatchers with information about the vehicle and the actions of its driver before attempting to stop it.

Long said the driver, however, refused to pull over and fled on Jackson Street to Walnut Street in Brownstown and then to Sugar Street and Cross Street, where police lost sight of it.

Because of concerns about the safe transporting of the prisoners they had in custody, Long and Meyer took those prisoners to the jail.

A 911 caller later told dispatchers they had heard of a vehicle traveling at a high rate of speed toward Vallonia Road.

Long said he responded to the area and found the vehicle on its top - with no one inside - at Vallonia Road and County Road 100W.

Long said he then saw the suspect enter a nearby residence, and when he arrived at the home, the owner of that home was holding Campbell.

At that point, Campbell was treated and taken to Schneck Medical Center in Seymour. He was later released and booked into the Jackson County Jail in Brownstown at 8:38 a.m. Sunday.

Campbell faces potential charges of resisting law enforcement, criminal recklessness, operating while intoxicated, blood alcohol content 0.15 or greater as well as three counts of leaving the scene of a property damage wreck, three counts of criminal mischief and residential entry.

The latter charges stem from damage the vehicle caused to several properties.

Indiana State Trooper Seth Davidson assisted with the incident.

The incident that led to Bryant's arrest began when county Officer Adam Nicholson said he attempted to stop a person on a motorcycle with no license plate. That person was driving east on County Road 540N just off Indiana 135 in the Freetown area just before midnight Friday.

The motorcyclist, however, refused to stop, Nicholson reported. A pursuit then began with the motorcyclist driving to County Road 340W and turning north. He then drove to County Road 650N and headed east, Nicholson said.

The driver then turned north on County Road 350W, entered Freetown, turned down a private road and drove into a field, Nicholson reported. He then fled on foot toward Freetown, entered a wooded area and then came out of the woods onto Third Street in Freetown, where he was caught by Brownstown Officer Tom Hanner, who was off-duty.

Bryant faces charges of resisting law enforcement with a vehicle, a Class D felony, and driving while suspended, a Class A misdemeanor.

Nicholson said before the stop that he had noticed the motorcycle did not have a license plate.

County Officer Jeff Walters also was involved in the pursuit that led to Bryant's arrest.