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Manhunt called off

Friday, May 7, 2010 ~ Updated 5:33 PM
BY JAMIE BARRAND, Editor

ROACHDALE -- A Roachdale man eluded capture by police on Friday.

Roachdale Town Marshal Mike Mahoy attempted to stop a vehicle driven by Wesley A. Baker, 28, just before 1 p.m. on C.R. 1400N near the Montgonmery County line, Mahoy said. Mahoy recognized Baker and knew there was an active warrant for Baker's arrest for a probation violation.

Baker got out of his vehicle and fled on foot. Mahoy called for backup, and units from the Indiana State Police, Putnam, Hendricks and Montgomery County sheriff's departments, Ladoga and Roachdale police departments and the Greencastle Fire Department Command Center responded in land and air vehicles, as well as K9 units.

"He's run from us before," Mahoy said of Baker.

Mahoy said he couldn't say for sure whether or not Baker was armed.

The search for Baker was called off just before 5:30 p.m.

Rumors were swirling that shots had been fired in the incident, but Putnam County 911 Director Dave Costin said the only person to fire a gun was Mahoy, who fired warning shots in the air as Baker fled.

North Putnam Schools were placed on lockdown as a precaution, but students were dismissed at the normal times.

Baker was on probation in Putnam County for a March 2008 conviction on a Class A misdemeanor resisting law enforcement charge when he was arrested in Montgomery County for Class B misdemeanor failure to stop on June 18, 2009. A petition to revoke Baker's probation was filed on June 30, 2009, and an arrest warrant was issued on July 14, 2009. A re-arrest warrant was issued on April 14.

Baker's criminal record includes convictions for residential entry, battery, possession of paraphernalia and escape. Those convictions all occurred between 2007 and 2009.

He served prison term for escape, and was released from prison on July 27,

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  • Subject is in custody per radio traffic from unit 420.

    -- Posted by Geologist on Fri, May 7, 2010, at 6:05 PM

  • Thanks for the post VFF.

    -- Posted by rdale4life on Fri, May 7, 2010, at 6:21 PM

  • A WARNING SHOT??

    -- Posted by Reader2 on Fri, May 7, 2010, at 8:41 PM

  • WHAT IN THIS WORLD IS GOING ON REALLY??? WHY WOULD THEY PUT INTO FORCE A COUNTY MANHUNT FOR A MAN WITH A WARRANT ON A MISDEMEANOR ?? MY GOD WITH ALL THAT GOES ON THIS THIS COUNTY AND THEY NEEDED ALL OF THOSE PEOPLE PLUS THE LOCKDOWN OF SCHOOL SYSTEM FOR A MISDEMEANOR!!!! WHAT A JOKE GET EM BARNEY... OR IS THERE MORE TO IT THAN THAT??? HMMMMM

    -- Posted by ironmaiden on Fri, May 7, 2010, at 11:32 PM

  • Okay so first of all... A WARNING SHOT! ARE YOU SERIOUS! What qualifications does it take to be a Town Marshal in ROACHDALE Obviously breathing or catch the Board nursing a hangover! And then there's Montgomery County. It's hard to say what county you can trust more with "violations" between Putnam and Montgomery County. Another school lockdown... how sad and how very unnecessary. Instead of firing shots my suggestion would be "RUN FOREST RUN"!!!!

    -- Posted by Innocent on Sat, May 8, 2010, at 12:13 AM

  • This is such a joke! I'm reading this article and the comments and getting a good laugh this morning. Several counties, state police, fire department, K-9 units, air and ground, etc. etc. Unbelievable! Evidently they have the guy in custody now. They probably had to taze him. Evidently it was a slow day for law enforcement in Putnam, Hendricks and Montgomery counties.

    -- Posted by not gullible on Sat, May 8, 2010, at 9:33 AM

  • " If he is innocent why would he run"? Same reason Ernest T Bass ran on The Andy Griffith Show. Thats what hillbillies do. Get 'EM BARNEY!

    -- Posted by headlettuce on Sat, May 8, 2010, at 4:41 PM

  • nothing to do better in this county???the lives you jeopardized to catch someone with 2 minor counts?the deal is a rush because he had ran before,that is sad.to put on tv as a manhunt is a joke for this county,all these cops in this area need to be strongly looked at.i live here and i am disgusted,what a joke!!!

    -- Posted by d46172 on Sat, May 8, 2010, at 9:53 PM

  • The law is the law. If he did a crime he needs to pay for it. He must not be a good person or he would not run from a cop in the first place. When they catch him, and they will, they should leave him locked up.

    -- Posted by peterbilt on Sat, May 8, 2010, at 11:13 PM

  • obviously lonestar1 you know nothing about the town of Roachdale. Those police officers do the job that they are there for!!! and all of the kids that you are talking about look up to those police officers. Maybe they can learn something from all of this. Hopefully someone doesn't break in to your house and you call the police. Because I guarantee if they did you would want something to happen about it. I think Mike and the others did a fantastic job!!! Maybe all of the people that have negative comments need to go to school and become an officer.....I'd love to see that.

    Congrats guys!!!!!

    -- Posted by proudemt on Mon, May 10, 2010, at 11:06 AM

  • I can understand calling for back up! From Putnam Co. But all the other was a little to much.If it had been on a felony it might have warrant all the other attenion.Or if Baker had fired shots.

    He had no right to flee law inforcement.Roachdale is a small town,my question is why a officer didn't go baker home and arrest him!

    As for lonestar1 I may wrong but I don't think the ones on the force that are volunteer have to go to school.

    Now for all the ones that is so unhappy about the law inforcement in Roachdale,if u want a change then go talk to the board. Otherwise keep your month shut!

    -- Posted by mamawfolck on Tue, May 11, 2010, at 2:26 AM

  • Officer Mahoy do not let these comments get you down, cause some of us know that being in your shoes is not easy. You did what you thought needed to be done and got the job done. This Baker person could have made it a lot easier on everyone if he would not have ran or at least turned himself in to begin with. d46172 there will come a time when you need one of these officer and you should be thankful that they are there. Lonestar1 if the town is so pathetic then leave, we don't need your white trash comments about Roachdale when you do not even know what you are talking about. Maybe we should stop the negative comments about Mahoy and turn them into positive thoughts on how you think you can make Roachdale a better place to live. As far as the training, call the police academy in Plainfield or the town office and you will find that Mahoy went through there just like our State and County officers did, so yes there are qualifications. Google is a wonderful search site, you should try it!

    -- Posted by RDALERESIDENT on Wed, May 12, 2010, at 10:11 AM
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