Police blow out tires to end chase spanning 4 counties

By Lucy Perry
Indiana Central News

SULLIVAN COUNTY — A Terre Haute man was arrested when his tires finally gave out early this morning  --- during a nearly hour-long police pursuit spanning several counties.

Shane Corey, 29,  was booked into the Sullivan County Jail at about 4 a.m. He is facing charges of resisting law enforcement with a vehicle (level 6 felony); habitual traffic violator (level 6 felony); and operating a vehicle while intoxicated-refusal (misdemeanor). 

Indiana State Police Sgt. Joe Watts explained that the pursuit began just before 1 a.m., when ISP Trooper Brad Miller reportedly turned on emergency lights to stop the vehicle for an alleged stop sign violation in the town of Hymera. After several attempts to apprehend the fleeing suspect, the chase ended when Corey left a roadway while driving on just the rims of his red 1997 Chevrolet Tahoe --- due to the  tires being deflated by stop sticks.  He came to a stop at a Clinton residential grassy area, where he was then taken into custody.

According to the report, Corey first fled westbound on SR 48 in Hymera and then proceeded northbound on US 41 toward Vigo County.

Watts said that Corey eventually struck stop sticks in the area of Pimento Circle, placed by Vigo County sheriff’s deputies and continued driving the vehicle northbound at a slower speed than the initial 80 mph.

​ "After striking the stop sticks on US 41 at Pimento Circle, the two front tires were deflated causing the vehicle to travel on the rims with speeds averaging between 40 and 50mph for the remainder of the chase," Watts said.

Officers from various agencies blocked intersections for others' safety during the pursuit, although Watts notes  that traffic was light at the time. The chase continued in Parke County with Parke County sheriff’s deputies also deploying stop sticks on US 41 at CR 900 S. 

"The suspect again struck the stop sticks damaging a rear tire and continued on driving on the rims of the vehicle. The suspect turned west onto SR 163 and as he was crossing the Wabash River Bridge, Clinton city police officers deployed another set of stop sticks which the suspect struck and deflated the remaining tire(s)," Watts said.

Sullivan Police, Sullivan County Sheriff’s deputies, Vigo County Sheriff’s deputies, Terre Haute Police, West Terre Haute Police, Indiana State University Police, Parke County Sheriff’s deputies, Clinton Police and Vermillion County Sheriff’s deputies assisted ISP.