Austin, IN - Disturbance Call - Suspect Steals
Police Cruiser - Did Some Donuts In A Field - Slams Into Home Knocking It Off
Foundation
August 1,
2011
wlky.com
A southern Indiana man is accused of stealing a police cruiser and crashing into someone's home in Austin.
Roger Williams, 48, is charged with car theft, criminal recklessness and battery.
"To be a small city, we have quite a bit of stuff goes on, I guess," said Austin Police Chief Donald Spicer. "You never know what somebody's thinking. We've never had this happen, but you're always having incidents to deal with and we're just glad no one really got hurt."
Police said at 7 p.m. Sunday, an officer responded to a disturbance at a home on De Hart Drive.
Spicer says the man inside, Williams, jumped off the porch and headed straight for the officer's car.
"Next thing you know, he was in the car wanting to leave, trying to leave. And he left," Spicer said. "He left in our car."
Police said Williams took off for Highway 31. He did some doughnuts in a nearby field and then tried heading back for home.
"It knocked me out of my chair. She jumped up and started screaming, 'What's going on, mamaw, what's going on?'" said Peggy Howard.
Howard and her granddaughter came outside to find that the stolen cruiser had slammed into their home, knocking it off its foundation and causing damage inside and out.
"In the back, there's a big dent where he hit so hard it dented the bathtub in," Howard said.
"I think after a couple times of that, we were able to get him under control," Spicer said. "The car can be replaced, but we definitely don't want any of the citizens hurt or killed. It could've been much worse than what it was."
Roger Williams, 48, is charged with car theft, criminal recklessness and battery.
"To be a small city, we have quite a bit of stuff goes on, I guess," said Austin Police Chief Donald Spicer. "You never know what somebody's thinking. We've never had this happen, but you're always having incidents to deal with and we're just glad no one really got hurt."
Spicer says the man inside, Williams, jumped off the porch and headed straight for the officer's car.
"Next thing you know, he was in the car wanting to leave, trying to leave. And he left," Spicer said. "He left in our car."
Police said Williams took off for Highway 31. He did some doughnuts in a nearby field and then tried heading back for home.
"It knocked me out of my chair. She jumped up and started screaming, 'What's going on, mamaw, what's going on?'" said Peggy Howard.
Howard and her granddaughter came outside to find that the stolen cruiser had slammed into their home, knocking it off its foundation and causing damage inside and out.
"In the back, there's a big dent where he hit so hard it dented the bathtub in," Howard said.
"I think after a couple times of that, we were able to get him under control," Spicer said. "The car can be replaced, but we definitely don't want any of the citizens hurt or killed. It could've been much worse than what it was."