Officers defuse dangerous situation as it nears Music Fest crowds

With crowds gathered in downtown Greencastle Saturday night, police worked just blocks away to end a dangerous situation peacefully.

Greencastle’s assistant police chief is crediting local officers and their training for getting a man in custody without harm to himself, police or bystanders.

After a call came in to Putnam County Dispatch of a man threatening to harm himself and others, police located him and initially attempted a traffic stop on Greencastle’s East Side at 6:23 p.m.

The man refused to stop, and the pursuit proceeded westbound on Washington and then Franklin streets.

With the car on a direct path for Greencastle Music Fest, which centers on the intersection of Franklin and Indiana streets, stop sticks were deployed at 6:29 p.m. two blocks to the east in the area of Franklin Street and College Avenue.

After hitting the stop sticks and turning north, the vehicle became disabled on Columbia Street between Vine and Indiana, behind PNC Bank.

Now pinned in by the police vehicles, the subject was displaying a knife and saying he wanted police to harm him.

“So we backed off and started negotiations with him,” Assistant Chief Ed Wilson said.

Wilson praised the poise of his own officers, as well as those from the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office and Indiana State Police, throughout the process.

“It was a testament to our officers’ training,” Wilson said. “They deferred to their training and treated people like they were supposed to be treated, and nothing got escalated.”

They eventually got the man to give up his knife and come out of the vehicle peacefully. He was taken into custody at 8:28 p.m. After a medical evaluation at the hospital, he was taken to a mental health facility for treatment.

“We are pleased that the situation was resolved peacefully and that the subject can receive the mental help that he needs,” Wilson said.

Wilson was also pleased that no one else was hurt with the proximity of the Music Fest crowd. He noted that contact was maintained with festival officials throughout the process.

“We were literally like one block from the Music Fest when this was going on,” Wilson said. “We were able to keep him out of the crowded area up on the square. That was a big concern when he headed toward that area.”

Charges will be sent to prosecutor for review of the endangerment of the public during the pursuit.