High-speed chase in Owen County results in one death and one injured

Monday, July 11, 2011

OWEN COUNTY -- A multi-county high-speed car chase has resulted in the death of a Poland man.

According to a press release from the Owen County Sheriff's Department, deputies spotted a suspicious vehicle at approximately 12:34 a.m. Saturday at the Cunot Community Center.

The deputy, according to the release, made contact with the two occupants, driver Tommy Jack Lawson, 56, Poland, and Kyal A. Campbell, 19, also of Poland. The two fled the area in Lawson's 1989 Jaguar, heading westbound on State Road 42.

The deputy then attempted to stop the car before the chase began.

The Jaguar continued west on SR 42 at speeds of up to 55 mph. At one point, the car left the roadway and upon returning to the road, Lawson reportedly attempted to ram the deputy's patrol vehicle.

The chase continued into Poland in Clay County, where the driver of the vehicle turned around and began traveling eastbound on SR 42, reaching speeds reportedly near 90 mph.

Approximately three miles east of Poland, the car went out of control in the westbound lane, before overturning and coming to a rest upright off the roadway near Owl Hollow Road.

According to officials, Lawson was trapped beneath the vehicle and died at the scene.

The passenger, Campbell, was transported to the Putnam County Hospital by Owen County EMS.

Clay County Sheriff Mike Heaton told The Brazil Times that the Clay County Sheriff's Department responded to the scene and made it to Poland before the vehicle turned around and headed back into Owen County.

Other agencies assisting in the situation included the Indiana Department of Natural Resources Law Enforcement Division, Indiana State Police, Owen County Rescue Team, Poland Fire Department and Owen County Coroner's Office.

The incident is being investigated by the Indiana State Police District 33 in Bloomington.

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  • Any word on why the car was "suspicious", other than being a jaguar... and besides fleeing, what was their crime(s)? A rather tragic end to a high speed chase that need not of happened, being two local men in a high profile automobile. One would think that a nice slow, scenic drive to the suspect's home would have been better for everyone involved.

    -- Posted by westforty on Mon, Jul 11, 2011, at 2:10 PM
  • Maybe a couple of more "security lights" should be donated to the community to prevent anymore fatalities.

    -- Posted by Keyboard_hero on Mon, Jul 11, 2011, at 2:26 PM
  • Any reason why the driver of the jag didn't just stop like he was supposed to??? Quit blaming the cops for what happens to people who disregard the law. He chose to run and he killed himself, simple as that, too bad the passenger had to be involved in the drivers bad decision. Hope he recovers okay......

    -- Posted by magoo55 on Mon, Jul 11, 2011, at 9:47 PM
  • Every law-abiding citizen should stop when a police officer requests you to do so.

    -- Posted by alfr1 on Tue, Jul 12, 2011, at 11:43 AM
  • To westforty: If they had something in the car that they should not have had (drugs, stolent property, abducted child, etc...) they could have gotten rid of it while the cop waited patiently at their home for them to come back?????? Or how did the cop know that it was the owner of the car driving - someone could have stolen the car.

    -- Posted by indianamama on Fri, Jul 15, 2011, at 1:26 PM
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