Jasper High School Senior and two friends capture car thief in Huntingburg
Update on the story:
Officers questioned Dunn while he was held at the hospital after officers were notified the vehicle was stolen from Evansville.
Dunn was charged with Unlawful Entry into a Motor Vehicle, Auto Theft, and Possession of Paraphernalia.
The vehicle, a Ford Explorer, was processed and returned to the owners. The case is still under investigation.
Original report below.
Today was the final day of Spring Break for Purdue University Freshman John Schneider and he was enjoying it by four-wheeling on his family’s property in Huntingburg with two of his friends, Travis Main and Jasper High School Senior Aaron Schmitt, both from Ireland.
The guys were hanging out at the barn on the property enjoying the warm day when Ted Seger, a friend that worked at the nearby Farbest Turkey Plant, came up the gravel drive. Seger had found an SUV in a muddy grassy area at the edge of the Schneider property and noticed a man walking up the long gravel drivewayto the property. When Seger stopped to help the man ran east through a nearby field.
Seger asked the trio if they knew anything about the accident and told them about the man running into the field. While they were talking Seger saw the man walking along the crest of the nearby hill. Schneider, Schmitt, and Main drove a four-wheeler and a Gator over to the field but the man had dropped from sight again.
They searched the scrub grass and finally found the man lying down on the ground. They approached him asked why he was in the field and whether that was his vehicle. Schmitt and Main recognized the man as Jordan Dunn, 18 of Huntingburg. When the group told Dunn he should head down to the vehicle to talk to the people there. Dunn asked who was down there and Schneider replied there were police. Hearing this, Dunn began to run south through the field towards the nearby neighborhoods.
Schneider and Schmitt gave chase on the Gator and four-wheeler, but Dunn made his way through the neighborhood and crossed 20th Street and then 19th Street before Main caught up with him in a field west of Chestnut Street. Main stated Dunn had tired by this time and he tackled him easily. Schneider called the police and the two men held Dunn there til they arrived.
According to Huntingburg Police Sergeant Ronnie Bowman, Dunn had stolen the vehicle in Vanderburgh County. It appeared that Dunn had lost control on Phoenix Drive as he entered a curve traveling west at a high rate of speed. After losing control he slid into the muddy pond on the south side of the road.
“We didn’t think about Dunn having a weapon,” Schmitt stated, “we just reacted. Luckily when we caught him he didn’t have anything.”
John’s dad Bob Schneider stated he was very proud of the boys.
Bowman also stated they are searching for another suspect in the vehicle.
Dunn was transported to Memorial Hospital and is still being held for observation there at this time.
Dunn dropped a backpack during the chase and according to Schneider it may have contained drugs.
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