Indiana State Police are actively searching southern Greene County for a fugitive wanted for felony escaping after officers say he cut off his ankle monitor, stole a trooper’s car and crashed it into another squad car before evading arrest.
ISP confirmed around 6:40 p.m. Tuesday that police are canvassing the Scotland and Newberry area of Greene County for a suspect identified as 40-year-old Eric James King of Shoals, Indiana.
King is armed with a knife and considered dangerous, according to ISP. He is described as a 5’7″ tall, 180-pound white man with black hair and brown eyes that is currently wearing a bright-colored shirt, shorts and boots.
“Do not answer the door for any unknown white males,” ISP officials with the Jasper post said in a Facebook post Tuesday night.
According to the Martin County Sheriff’s Office, the suspect may be driving a 1995 Red Ford F250 with Indiana license plate number CBD783.
The search for King first began this week in Martin County after he allegedly cut off his ankle monitor and became wanted for felony escape from home detention.
The search was made public around 7 a.m. Tuesday when the Martin County authorities an attempt to locate King.
“If seen, do not attempt to approach or apprehend,” MCSO said at the time. “Call Martin County Sheriff’s Office at 812-247-3726.”
Later in the day, around 2:30 p.m., Indiana State Police officials said troopers with the ISP Jasper District began to assist county law enforcement in the search for King. Eventually, ISP said the suspect was located south of Loogootee on US 231 in Daviess County.
ISP said that King refused to comply with officers and fled, starting a pursuit. During the pursuit, authorities said they believe King’s car ran out of gas as he pulled into a private road.
Officers found King stopped in the private drive and attempted to arrest him, ISP said. However, the suspect was able to gain control of an ISP squad car.
Once behind the wheel King used the trooper’s car to ram into a county squad car and was eventually able to evade the authorities and escape, ISP and the MCSO both confirmed.
ISP said King then drove the stolen squad car away from the scene and that he eventually crashed the car in a field in southern Greene County, shifting the search area.
The next update came around 6:40 p.m. when ISP Jasper District posted on Facebook that troopers were now searching for King in Southern Greene County and prompted all Scotland and Newberry residents to lock their doors and not let any unknown white males in.
As of 10 p.m., both State Police and Martin County law officials confirmed that King is still on the run.
