subscribesubscriber servicescontact usabout ussite mapBuy a Classified
Tue, Oct 07 2008 
Breaking News:  BREAKING: Fatal I-70 crash diverts eastbound traffic through Brazil  October 06, 2008 09:16 am

Published: March 25, 2008 11:07 pm    print this story   email this story   comment on this story  

Teen dies following high-speed pursuit

Chase occurs on U.S. 41; speeds top 80 mph

By Brian M. Boyce
The Tribune-Star

SULLIVAN The crash of a van that a teen allegedly stole in Carlisle resulted in the boy’s death in Sullivan on Monday evening.

“We don’t know why he was in there and probably will never know why, or where he was heading,” said Indiana State Police Sgt. Joe Watts said of Landon Jay Dunn, 15, Oaktown.

Dunn stole a white, 1995 GMC van from the 400 block of North Ledgerwood Street in Carlisle around 7:37 p.m. Monday, police said.

“We believe it was just a random act there in Carlisle. He found a van with a set of keys in it,” Watts said, noting that a neighbor reported seeing someone jump into the van and take off before calling the Sullivan County Sheriff’s Department.

According to an ISP report, Indiana Conservation Officer Matt Landis located the vehicle driving north on U.S. 41 near Sullivan County Road 400S around a minute later, and tried to pull it over with assistance from ISP Trooper David Petrowski.

Both units activated their emergency lights and siren, but the driver of the vehicle refused to stop, according to the report.

The vehicle continued north on U.S. 41 at speeds in excess of 80 mph, before turning north onto Section Street toward the Sullivan City limits.

“Basically, law enforcement was on top of it pretty quick, by chance, just by looking,” Watts said.

Landis and Petrowski “terminated the pursuit” at 7:49 p.m. as the vehicle entered Section Street and the city limits of Sullivan.

“Traffic concerns and safety concerns,” Watts said regarding police rules of pursuit in explaining why the officers slowed down and shut their sirens off before entering the city.

A minute later, at 7:50 p.m., the van struck a concrete block fixture at the northeast corner of Section and Silver streets.

Dunn was pronounced dead at the scene by Sullivan County Deputy Coroner Aleta Eldridge.

Eldridge said the boy died of a head injury. An autopsy was conducted Tuesday in Terre Haute Regional Hospital.

“The toxicology report is still pending but it’s not believed [drugs or alcohol] was a factor,” she said.

State Police crash reconstructionists will conduct the crash investigation, he said.

“We didn’t find any contraband in the van,” Watts said, adding “we’ve never run across him before.”

Brian Boyce can be reached at (812) 231-4253 or brian.boyce@tribstar.com.

print this story   email this story   comment on this story  

Click to discuss this story with other readers on our forums.





Television Tonight

Terre Haute News Morning Headlines

Terre Haute NIE Bench for Education

Terre Haute ClickLocal

Terre Haute Tribune-Star Newspaper Dial-A-Pro

Terre Haute Tribune-Star Newspaper Live in the Clubs

Terre Haute News on Twitter

monster
wheels
Premier Guide
Find a business

Walking Fingers
Maps, Menus, Store hours, Coupons, and more...
Premier Guide
Today's Featured Jobs

Part time positions
Heaven’s
Express
Now hiring part time
positions.
Apply in person
2929 N. 7th St.
...>MORE

Company Drivers
Company Drivers
Needed Are You Tired
of Just Sitting?
2800-3000 Miles
Per Wk. All Late
Mode
...>MORE

Director of Food Services
DIRECTOR OF FOOD SERVICE

Good Samaritan Hospital, a 232-bed regional referral center accred-
ited by The
...>MORE

See all ads

Today's Featured Autos

05 Pete
05 Pete, 379 EXHD,
479 Cat, ultra shift,
70” sleeper, 270WB,
402K, $59,900, 208-
0739
...>MORE

05 Victory Cruiser
05 Victory Cruiser,
many extras, Pris-
tine Cond, 12K mi
$9,000-obo
(812)235-2648

...>MORE

89 Chevy pickup
1989 chevy long
bed pick up. 350 en-
gine. Auto. $2195
(812)234-6753
...>MORE

See all ads

Today's Featured Homes

1217 S 7th
1 bdrm 1217 S 7th,
Remodeled, c/a, clean
$375+elec. 251-1007.
...>MORE

Centerpoint
3 bdrm 2 ba in Cen-
terpoint for sale or
lease. Call 299-8521

...>MORE

Marylane Apts
MARYLANE APTS
1-2 Bdrm., Walk to
Union Hospital & mi-
nutes from campus.
Total electric,. Cable <
...>MORE

See all ads

Today's Cool Stuff

3 Wheel Adult bike
3 wheel adult bicy-
cle. Pretty pink, like
new. Pd $400, take
$175 (812)235-5236
...>MORE

SELL YOUR STUFF!
Place an ad today. Get your ad in front of over 60,000 Tribune-Star readers! Call (812) 231-4237...>MORE

Washer & Dryer
Frigidaire Wash-
er & Elect. Dryer
$200 (812)223-2205
...>MORE

See all ads


 

Community Newspaper Holdings, Inc.CNHI Classified Advertising NetworkCNHI News Service
Associated Press content © 2008. All rights reserved. AP content may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Our site is powered by Zope and our Internet Yellow Pages site is powered by PremierGuide.
Some parts of our site may require you to download the Flash Player Plugin.
View our Privacy Policy
Advertiser index