An intoxicated motorist wanted on a felony warrant fled from a sheriff’s deputy, but his flight was cut short by the actions of his passenger.
On Thursday, October 14, 2016 at approximately 11:15am a Sheriff’s Office K-9 and a Evansvillle Police Department detective assigned to the Joint Drug Task Force initiated a traffic stop on the Lloyd Expressway at the Martin Luther King exit. The vehicle (a blue 1999 Ford Explorer) initially pulled over, but once the deputy exited his vehicle the driver sped westbound onto Division Street.
As the deputy gave chase he observed the suspect run through two red lights and nearly collide with another vehicle. The vehicle eventually stopped on Fulton Avenue at W. Virginia Street. The driver, Mr. Michael Anthony Luttrull, was then taken into custody.
The passengers, Ms. Lori McDade and Ms. Stacey Burton, were detained and eventually arrested on narcotics related charges. Mr. Luttrull was found to have active felony and misdemeanor warrants. Mr. Luttrell admitted to consuming 3/4 of a fifth of bourbon prior to driving. A certified breath test showed Mr. Luttrell’s breath alcohol content to be .124.
During an inventory of the vehicle, a gram of methamphetamine was located. Further information developed during the investigation led to the acquisition of a search warrant for 2200 Jefferson Avenue. More than an ounce of methamphetamine was seized at that location along with nearly $7,000 in currency and a mint condition 2013 Harley Davidson motorcycle.
Deputies later learned that the reason Mr. Luttell stopped fleeing was because of the actions of one of his passengers. Ms. Stacey Burton disabled the vehicle by shifting the transmission out of gear and turning off the ignition during the pursuit.
ARRESTED:
Michael Anthony Luttrull (pictured above), 54, of Newburgh. Resisting Law Enforcement as a Level 6 Felony, Operating while Intoxicated with a Prior Conviction as a Level 6 Felony, Operating while Intoxicated as a Class A and Class C Misdemeanor, Reckless Driving as a Class A Misdemeanor, Driving while License Suspended as a Class A Infraction
Lori Lynn McDade (pictured above), 54, of Evansville. Possession of Methamphetamine as a Level 6 Felony, Visiting a Common Nuisance as a Class B Misdemeanor
Stacey Lynn Burton (pictured above), 46, of Evansville. Visiting a Common Nuisance as a Class B Misdemeanor