Indiana State Police are investigating a police shooting that occurred on Tuesday night.
According to ISP, about 5:50 p.m., the Clay County Sheriff’s Department and troopers from the Putnamville State Police Post were dispatched to a fuelling station on State Road 59 and State Road 42 for a report of a stolen U-Haul discovered by an off-duty Town Marshall from the Knightsville Police Department.
State Police and Clay County Sheriff’s Deputies attempted a traffic stop on the U-Haul. The U-Haul driver, later identified as Dale L. Evans, 47, of Terre Haute, ignored the authorities and drove westbound on SR 42 for about a mile before turning south onto a private property.
When the U-Haul came to a halt, a woman stepped out and fled away. Officers attempted to lay stop sticks near the vehicle’s tires, but Evans drove away before they could finish and headed south down the driveway.
The U-Haul came to a stop for the second time, and negotiators began chatting with Evans, attempting to place stop sticks at the tires once more. He shifted into reverse, nearly hitting a Clay County constable and three Clay County enforcement vehicles. Evans then put the truck back into drive and went down the driveaway, stopping for the third time looking north.
Negotiations resumed and lasted around 90 minutes.
Evans put the vehicle back in gear and crashed with a fully marked ISP vehicle. The truck was flanked by two troopers in defensive positions; the impact of the collision propelled one of them into the air.
Officers from the Terre Haute Police Department and the Clay County Sheriff’s Office shot on Evans, striking him. The U-Haul came to a halt, and Evans received emergency medical attention from the Terre Haute Special Response Trauma Team.
Evans was transported to an Indianapolis hospital by air ambulance. The woman with him was transported to Clay County Jail for questioning before being released.
The trooper who was hurt in the crash was sent to a Terre Haute hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
All officers engaged in this event were placed on administrative leave, as is customary protocol in officer-related shootings.
