7 charges for Fillmore man in pair of cases

Darrell Skinner

After twice fleeing from law enforcement before being apprehended, a 33-year-old Putnam County man finds himself in jail on $30,000 cash bond.

That is the current fate of Darrell R. Skinner, of Fillmore, following his appearance in Putnam Superior Court Wednesday afternoon to answer charges in two separate cases totaling seven criminal counts.

Skinner is one of two men who fled authorities Tuesday afternoon. That was after Greencastle Police Officer Kyle Lee recognized Skinner, known to have had an active warrant for his arrest, as a passenger in a vehicle he spotted near Veterans Memorial Highway and Bloomington Street.

After abandoning a Ford pickup truck reportedly driven by Chad Matthew Fiscus, 31, Danville, along Crown Street, Skinner was apprehended by Lee and DePauw Police Officer Matt Demmings following a brief foot pursuit.

Fiscus, meanwhile, got away and apparently remained at large as of Friday. He also has an active warrant out of Hendricks County.

The identity of Fiscus was substantiated through surveillance footage obtained from a nearby residence and further verified by comparing his tattoo placement to his Facebook photos.

This wasn’t the first time Skinner reportedly ran from police. He also faces charges in an Aug. 11 incident at the Greencastle Walmart store where he allegedly tried to pull the old shoe switcheroo, taking off his old shoes, donning a new pair of sneakers and attempting to walk out of the store wearing them.

However, he was stopped by Walmart personnel after passing the final point of sale without paying for the $14.97 “And 1” brand sneakers. Skinner initially accompanied loss prevention personnel to the office, taking off the sneakers and reportedly cooperating with the investigation.

However, when he was told police were en route to the store, the shoeless Skinner reportedly fled the office, exited the building and disappeared into a wooded area nearby.

Upon his departure from the Walmart office, a small, plastic baggie containing a white powdery substance -- later determined to be methamphetamine -- was discovered behind a shelf containing electronics equipment.

Thus in that August case, Skinner is charged with attempted theft, a Class A misdemeanor, and possession of methamphetamine, a Level 4 felony.

In the more recent case, Skinner faces charges of possession of methamphetamine; resisting law enforcement, a Class A misdemeanor; unlawful possession of a syringe, a Level 6 felony; possession of paraphernalia, a Class C misdemeanor; and theft, a Level 6 felony.

Judge Denny Bridges entered a not-guilty plea to all counts on Skinner’s behalf, setting bond at $30,000 and scheduling a pretrial conference for 11 a.m. Jan. 25.

In his only comment during the proceedings, Skinner took exception to the latest drug and paraphernalia charges.

“It wasn’t on me,” he said, “it was in someone else’s truck.”

The judge reminded him it was only an initial hearing and his comments might jeopardize his case.

In the more recent case, Skinner was also found to be in possession of a bag containing a white crystal-like substance believed to be methamphetamine.

An inventory of the vehicle conducted before it was impounded revealed several articles of drug paraphernalia (two syringes and two glass pipes containing residue), approximately 19.5 grams of a white crystal-like substance believed to methamphetamine discovered in a Batman case on the floorboard of the truck, a jar of change and $361 in cash.

Meanwhile, in the bed of the truck were two motorcycles, one of which was confirmed as stolen.

Following his court appearance, Skinner was remanded to the Putnam County Jail.

Skinner, authorities said, was also wanted on three felony warrants out of Hendricks County. The local warrant for his arrest in the Walmart case is what sparked the latest pursuit and apprehension.