High speed chase ends in cornfield

Wednesday, July 8, 2009

By SHANNEN HAYES, Staff Writer

A stolen Ford F-150 driven by Richard Kyle Furmanski blazed this trail through a cornfield north of Fincastle before colliding with the Crawfordsville Police car, below, driven by CPD officer Russell Keller. The 15-minute pursuit began in Crawfordsville when local police were tipped by authorities in Harrison County, Ohio that Furmanski might be in the area after escaping from jail and stealing the truck.

ROACHDALE -- A high-speed police chase that started in Montgomery County ended in northern Putnam County Tuesday afternoon.

Twenty-year-old Richard Kyle Furmanski led several police agencies on a two county chase before crashing into a Crawfordsville police car in the middle of a cornfield approximately one mile north of Fincastle on US 231.

Furmanski escaped from jail in Harrison County, Ohio and stole the pickup truck he was driving from the same area. The Harrison County Sheriff's Department tipped off Crawfordsville police Furmanski was possibly in the area.

When officers attempted to stop him, Furmanski decided to flee. The 15-minute pursuit resulted in Furmanksi being taken into custody by the Crawfordsville Police Department.

Crawfordsville Officer Russell Keller was driving the cruiser hit by Furmanski in the chase. He was transported to St. Clare Hospital in Crawfordsville via PMH Ambulance Service, Roachdale.

The Putnam County Sheriff's Department investigated the accident site. Crawfordsville Police Department, Montgomery County Sheriff's Department, Roachdale Police Department and the Indiana State Police were involved the pursuit.

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In my police-fleeing days,, we only used cornfields when the corn has grown over you head. That way you can ditch your vehicle and RUN!!!

-- Posted by Xgamer on Wed, Jul 8, 2009, at 5:28 AM
Who pays for the damage, the taxpayers???

-- Posted by 1stamendrights on Wed, Jul 8, 2009, at 11:15 AM
I heard that the same people that pushed the smoking ban through are now considering a traffic signal in the middle of the cornfield to prevent any more accidents at that intersection.

-- Posted by westforty on Wed, Jul 8, 2009, at 2:23 PM

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