SCOTTSBURG, Ind. – Indiana State Police (ISP) troopers in Sellersburg arrested an Austin man after he allegedly stole a Scottsburg police cruiser and then led multiple police agencies on a high-speed chase in southern Indiana.
The incident unfolded around 1:30 Thursday morning when officers with the Scottsburg City Police Department were investigating an unrelated call at the I-65 Studio Suites Hotel near Exit 29 in Scottsburg. While out on that call, officers learned that a male subject had gained entry to one of the marked Scottsburg City Police cars in the hotel parking lot and had driven away.
Officers soon located the stolen car on southbound I-65 a few miles south of the city. When they attempted to stop the vehicle, the driver allegedly fled south, sometimes traveling well over 100 mph.
Scott and Clark County Sheriff’s Department officers and troopers from the Sellersburg Post soon joined the pursuit. Stop Stick tire deflation devices were deployed near the 12- and 9-mile markers in Clark County. However, despite damage to the tires, the driver continued southbound at speeds approaching 140 mph.
Master Trooper Rob Caudill maneuvered behind the car in an attempt to utilize the precision immobilization technique (PIT maneuver) to stop the vehicle. Before that could happen, the driver lost control of the car, veering into the concrete median barrier around the 3-mile marker near Eastern Blvd. The vehicle eventually stopped as it scraped against the barrier wall.
The driver, later identified as 44-year-old Roger W. Stamper of Austin, exited through the passenger side door of the car shortly after the crash. Officers utilized a taser to subdue Stamper when he supposedly refused to follow commands. Stamper was placed into custody and medically cleared before being transported to the Scott County Jail in Scottsburg.
ISP is investigating the vehicle theft. Roger Stamper was cited for numerous traffic offenses and also charged with the following:
- Theft, Motor Vehicle – Level 6 Felony
- Resisting Law Enforcement with a Vehicle – Level 6 Felony.
- Unauthorized Entry of a Motor Vehicle – B Misdemeanor.
- Resisting Law Enforcement – A Misdemeanor.
- Aggressive Driving, Unsafe Operation – A Misdemeanor.
- Reckless Driving – B Misdemeanor.
- Driving While Suspended.
