- The Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office has arrested an Evansville man after an early morning crime spree that spanned Evansville’s west side. The Sheriff’s Office and the Evansville Police Department investigated a series of events that transpired this morning and both agencies have filed charges for the crimes occurring in their respective jurisdictions. Sheriff Dave Wedding would like to commend all of the law enforcement officers involved that brought this highly volatile situation to a resolution.
Timeline:
06:32 Deputies were dispatched to a west side residence for a report that the caller’s son was off his medication and might be suicidal. The son, identified as Matthew Fetscher, was gone upon deputies’ arrival.
07:06 While deputies gathered information regarding Fetscher’s condition a burglary alarm was tripped at the Bucks and Jakes sporting goods store located at 5525 Pearl Drive. Deputies arrived to find that the store had been physically broken into. A Sheriff’s K9 team searched the property; however, no one was located on the premises. Surveillance video revealed that the suspected burglar matched the description of Matthew Fetscher that was earlier provided by his mother.
07:13 Deputies were summoned back to Fetscher’s parents’ home as he had returned. Again Fetscher fled the scene prior to the arrival of deputies; however, this time it was reported that he was driving a white Ford pick-up truck that was possibly stolen.
07:55Â Evansville Police Department Officers were dispatched to a residence in the 2200 block of W Columbia Street regarding the report of a home burglary where a handgun was stolen. According to witnesses the suspect fled the scene in a vehicle matching the description of the one supposedly being driven by Fetscher.
08:20 A Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s deputy located a white Ford pick-up truck matching the description of the vehicle being driven by Fetscher. The vehicle had been stolen from the Evansville Water and Sewer Department and was crashed into a ditch off Broadway Avenue near Alta Vista Road. The vehicle was unoccupied; however, merchandise stolen from Bucks and Jakes was recovered from within.
At nearly the same time, deputies were called to a nearby address regarding a person trying to kick in the caller’s door. The homeowner recognized the suspect as Matthew Fetscher, and the caller noted that Fetscher was holding a pistol in his hand. Fetscher reportedly fled on foot after leaving several packages on the caller’s porch (one of the packages was addressed to Fetscher and the other was addressed to Taylor Swift).
08:31 Matthew Fetscher was apprehended by Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s deputies and Evansville Police Department officers near the intersection of Reiter Drive and Bridgeview Drive.
Fetscher invoked his right to silence upon being interviewed by investigators and is currently being held in the Vanderburgh County Jail without bond for charges of burglary, theft, and criminal mischief. The Evansville Police Department is preparing charges against Fetscher for the crimes occurring within the incorporated city limits.
Arrested:Â Matthew Fetscher (imaged above), 35 of Evansville, IN
Presumption of Innocence Notice: The fact that a person has been arrested or charged with a crime is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law.
