SCOTTSVILLE, Ind. (WHAS11) -- Indiana State Police have arrested a man who stole a vehicle from a Jeffersonville Thornton's gas station and led police on a pursuit through Clark and Floyd counties. This same man is also responsible for vandalizing the Jeffersonville Firefighters Union hall, police said.
Officials arrested Aaron Keown, 39, of Jeffersonville after he crashed into an ISP trooper.
The chase began shortly after the Ford F250 pickup truck was reported stolen from the Thornton's on Court Avenue around 5:30 a.m. Thursday.
Floyd County Sheriff’s officer Lanny Fessel had attempted to stop the truck for reckless driving on Scottsville Road in Floyd County. The Floyd County Sheriff’s Department said the truck had just drove through a Save-A-Step at Paoli Pike and Scottsville. There was extensive damage to the store, the sheriff’s department said.
Damage to a Sav-A-Step in Scottsville, IN this a.m. During a car theft, police chase. No one injured here. @whas11 pic.twitter.com/bfje2BuW3e
— Brooke Hasch (@WHAS11Hasch) May 19, 2016
At this point ISP assisted in the chase on Scottsville Road and when they attempted to stop the vehicle but the driver sped off.
According to ISP, trooper Brandon Farias overheard the pursuit on his radio, went to assist and stopped near the intersection of Scottsville Road and Engle Road. The vehicle, being driven by Keown, left the roadway and struck Trooper Farias' police cruiser as it reentered the roadway.
Since the chase did enter Clark County, according to the Floyd County Sheriff’s Department, Clark County officers did assist in case.
Keown has been charged with three counts of criminal recklessness (level 6 felony), resisting law enforcement (level 6 felony), reckless driving (class B misdemeanor) and battery on police (level 6 felony).
He was taken to the Floyd Memorial Hospital for minor injuries and two officers were treated at the scene for minor injuries, the Floyd County Sheriff’s Department said.
The break-in at the Jeffersonville Firefighters Union happened overnight.
It’s a place that’s become like a second home for so many in the that department.
“It looks like there was a lot of rage in the building. I don’t think it was personal, I think it was just an unstable person up to no good,” Union President for the Jeffersonville Firefighters Union Joe Hurt said
Union leaders said the vandal used the back steps to walk up and smash in a second-story window in the kitchen. Then, they said he continued the destruction, breaking nearly every window, leaving bits of glass all over. Everything in the kitchen cabinets from Sriracha sauce to silverware was also scattered throughout the second floor.
“Anything you could think that they could get their hands on quickly, they did, and tore the place up pretty good,” Hurt said. “Looks like just an unstable person grabbed a bunch of pool balls and broke all the windows out, burned an American flag on our pool table, broke our kitchen cabinets out, holes in the dry wall, pictures off the walls, broke all our TVs.”
The historic building, built during the early 1900s, is home to everything from meetings to birthday parties, with one even scheduled for Friday.
“One of our guys was going to use it for his dad’s 60th birthday party tomorrow. He spent hours cleaning all of the windows and making sure everything was set up great for the party tomorrow. Then, this morning, this is what we show up to,” Hurt said.
The union bought it from the city years ago, and spent about a decade renovating it.
“It was in pretty rough shape when we took it over, and the guys, the firefighters all pitched in over many years to fix it up. We had a really nice place, and we love it. It is tough, a lot of money and time put into it, and it’s just a really cool old building, but we’ll get it back. We’ll fix it back up,” Hurt said.
Police said Keown smashed in the back window on the second floor and trashed the historic union hall. There was broken glass and kitchen supplies scattered all over the second floor.
Keown currently has no bond and will appear in court on May 20.