Greensburg Daily News, Greensburg, IN

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December 5, 2005

Police chase nets loaded gun and cocaine

Black ice conditions lead to risky pursuit for New Point Town Marshal

Jim Cummings

While most people avoided driving on the treacherous icy roads Saturday, New Point Town Marshal Andy Hadler was locked in a pursuit he thought would never end.

Hadler, realized how slick the black-ice conditions were and left he stunt driving to the suspect.

"The only reason I didn't crash was I drove slower than he did. Going 50 mph on those roads was plenty fast enough for me," Hadler said. "The way I kept up with him was he drove off the road so often."

The incident began just after 10 p.m. on State Road 46 near county road 850 east just north of New Point.

When Hadler witnessed Kenneth Washington, 34, of Cincinnati commit a minor traffic violation the officer couldn't have expected what was to come next.

Hadler first got Washington stopped on the I-74 overpass but the saga was closer to its beginning than its culmination.

"He stopped but left his car in gear," Hadler said. "He sat there for a minute and then took off. At that point, the chase was on."

What the Marshal didn't know was Washington was not only traveling in a car stolen out of Chicago but that he had marijuana, cocaine, and a loaded .22 caliber hand gun in his possession.

The two vehicles then headed north and passed the truck stop. A short distance later, Washington slid on the ice the first time and went off the road into the Rossburg cemetery. Washington extracted himself from among the tombstones and headed north on Country Road 850 east passed North Branch Golf Course. It was there, the suspect slid off the road again. 

"There was ice everywhere," Hadler said. "It wasn't very safe out there for anyone, never mind someone running from the police."

Washington must have felt like luck was on his side as he was once again able to get the 1992 Chevy Lumina back on the road. Seconds later, the fugitive lost control of the vehicle and plowed into a bean field. Amazingly, this only slowed him down for a moment. On his way once more, Washington spun off the road for a fourth and final time.

"I ordered him out of the vehicle and was able to take him into custody without incident," Hadler said. "All he would say was he knew the gun was in the car and didn't want to get caught with it."

Washington is expected in court today or Tuesday at the latest. He faces felony accusations of fleeing police with a motor vehicle, possession of cocaine and possession of a stolen vehicle. The marijuana and gun possession will most likely result in misdemeanor charges. However, since Washington possessed the gun while committing a felony that charge could be elevated.

Decatur County Sheriff Deputies Brian McCullough and Chris Howell backed-up Hadler, who just celebrated his first-year on-the-job as New Point's Marshal, in the arrest.







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