Wabash County authorities used a drone equipped with thermal imaging to locate a Vincennes man who allegedly fled into a bean field following a vehicle pursuit Tuesday.
Wabash County Sheriff Derek Morgan reports the incident began August 11th when a sheriff’s deputy observed a vehicle traveling on Illinois Route 1 leave the roadway and nearly strike a tree.
The deputy attempted a traffic stop, but the vehicle allegedly increased its speed. Morgan says the vehicle initially slowed as if the driver was going to stop before turning north onto East 700 Road and rapidly accelerating.
The deputy was able to obtain the vehicle’s license plate number before watching the driver fail to negotiate a turn onto East 1000 Road and drive into a cornfield.
The vehicle eventually made its way out of the cornfield and back onto East 700 Road, where it was spotted by an assisting Mount Carmel Police officer.
Authorities say the driver then failed to negotiate an “S” curve, entered a bean field and continued through the field until reaching railroad tracks, where the vehicle came to a stop.
The driver then allegedly fled on foot.
The Wabash County Sheriff’s Office drone was brought to the scene to assist with the search. Using the drone’s thermal-imaging technology, authorities located the driver hiding in a bean field south of the crash site.
Wabash General Ambulance Service was called to the scene for the driver.
26-year-old Austin Lawrence of Vincennes was arrested and charged with DUI, aggravated fleeing and eluding, two counts of criminal damage to property, reckless driving, operating an uninsured motor vehicle, driving on a revoked license, trespassing on railroad right-of-way, resisting a police officer, failure to secure new registration and leaving the scene.
Lawrence appeared in Wabash County Circuit Court Thursday for a detention hearing. The court ordered Lawrence detained while the case is pending.
The charges are allegations, and Lawrence is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.