SPENCER CO, Ind (WEHT) – Officials with the North Spencer County School Corporation have made the decision to keep students and staff home Friday while the Indiana State Police and the Spencer County Sheriff’s Office continue to search for suspects they say fled from a police pursuit Thursday.
The case began in Warrick County and ended between Dale and Lincoln City. Authorities say the suspects ran off after ditching the vehicle they were in. Police say narcotics were recovered from the vehicle. A stolen gun that had been thrown from the vehicle was also recovered.
They were last seen in the area of Lincoln State Park. K-9’s and helicopters joined the search but were not able to locate the suspects.
Indiana State Police say they have arrested three suspects for attempting to assist the four original suspects. Kyra Newsome, Ronald Rodriguez and Andrew Carter were arrested for allegedly trying to help those involved in pursuit flee the area. The original four suspects are still at large.
Indiana State Police say it started around 6:30 PM Thursday as troopers tried to pull a vehicle over after it got off I-64 at Lynnville.
“There was some suspicious activity, that was occurring that was observed by the trooper, and as the suspect’s vehicle was traveling on I-64, they failed to use their turn signal when they left interstate,” said Sgt. Todd Ringle of Indiana State Police.
The driver drove off, heading to Spencer County at speeds topping 100 miles an hour. The car briefly went the wrong way on Highway 231, before the the people inside got out and left the vehicle on the side of the highway. The search for the suspects started just as there were games and other events at nearby North Spencer schools.
“My daughter was the first to text us. She sent us a text. She was at the volleyball game. She’s an assistant coach over there, called the volleyball game off,” recalled Tim Brown, who lives near the North Spencer schools.
Superintendent Dan Scherry said they canceled classes as a precaution as the search stretched to this morning.
“To actually bring kids in, have individuals driving on the road, driving their own vehicles, when we know those things are going on and where they are going on, it just made sense this time to call it off,” he explained.
Indiana State Police say a perimeter near Lincoln State Park was lifted this morning, as the suspects may not be in the area anymore.
Heritage Hills’s game against North Posey is still scheduled for tonight. Supt. Scherry says there will be more police on hand here for tonight’s game as a precaution, and that their homecoming events were moved to October 8th.
Anyone who may have seen the group or have information on their current whereabouts is asked to contact either Indiana State Police or the Spencer County Sheriff’s Office.
(This story was originally published on September 17, 2021)