Two police cars crash before suspects are caught
Officers injured in high speed chase
Wanda English Burnett - Editor

A routine warrant being served at a Ripley County residence last Wednesday, May 12, turned out to be anything but routine for officers involved.

Three police officers were injured in two separate crashes when they became involved in a high speed pursuit of the person they were trying to serve the warrant on in the first place - 26-year-old Floyd Small.

According to police, they were at the residence of Small, located near the Jennings/Decatur line in Ripley County, when a black van drove by with Small inside, and then took off at a high rate of speed.

Officers pursued the van, which was driven by Sue Smith Rehfuse, down back roads in Jennings County, which were not paved.

According to information from the Jennings County Sheriff's Depart
ment, the first crash occurred when Indiana State Police trooper Joe Livers lost control of his vehicle, striking a tree. He then got into a car with Rush County Sheriff James Owens, and Floyd Small
passenger Sgt. Larry Dance of the Greensburg Police Department.

The pursuit continued until Owens lost control of the vehicle he was operating, and crashed. Owens and Dance were both Lifelined to Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis. Sgt. Dance was kept overnight and is recuperating at home. Sheriff Owens had more serious injuries and had surgery last Thursday to repair his left hip, which was reported to be "crushed." He also suffered severe lacerations during the ordeal. Livers was taken to St. Vincent Jennings Hospital, where he was treated and released for minor injuries.

Ripley County Sheriff Bill Davison, who was also involved in the high-speed pursuit, agreed with information from Jennings County Sheriff's Department that noted visibility was extremely poor due to dusty road conditions. Another factor involved was the officers were not familiar with the roads.

Just a few minutes following the second car crash, other officers still
in pursuit of Small, reported that the "suspects bailed out of the black van." They were pursued by Greensburg Patrolman Andy Hadler and his K-9 partner Czar. There were three people in the van, Small, Rehfuse, and an unidentified person, who was later determined not to be involved in any crime.

Small, the person officers initially wanted, was booked into the Ripley County Jail on three warrants - battery, probation violation, and failure to register for probation. He is being held on a $30,000 cash bond.

Rehfuse, the van driver who eluded police, was taken to the Jennings County Jail and booked on charges of fleeing police with motor vehicle, fleeing by foot, resisting arrest, and possession of precursors used in manufacturing methamphetamines. She is being held on a $15,000 bond. It was also found that she was wanted on warrants from Decatur and Dearborn counties.

Police from all three counties Ripley, Decatur, and Rush, were initially in on the arrest due to the fact they were investigating a much larger problem at the suspect's residence. The suspicion of a methamphetamine operation and more brought a number of officers to the scene in the first place. An assault rifle was found in the suspect's home and the investigation continues.

When asked to justify the high speed chase and the possibility of losing lives of not only officers but perhaps innocent motorists traveling in that direction, officers responded by saying while they never want to engage in a high speed pursuit - they will when it is warranted. While officers are not giving details about the entire investigation, they say it was necessary to take Small into custody and considered him violent and dangerous.

Agencies involved in the incident include the Jennings, Rush, Decatur and Ripley county sheriff departments, Indiana State Police, Greensburg, Versailles and Westport police departments, Indiana Conservation Officer, Jennings County EMS, and LifeLine.