Last Saturday, May 12, Greene County Sheriff’s Deputy Alan Jackson and Worthington Deputy Marshal Russell Walls went to a residence in the Calvertville area to serve a felony arrest warrant on one man, Rusty Mason Crowe. They didn’t expect to find another wanted man there, Craig Daniel Blake. One shouted “Cops” and both suspects fled into the woods. The chase was on. One crashed a motorcycle then later escaped while handcuffed. The search involved officers from six departments before both were apprehended.

When Deputy Jackson and Officer Walls arrived at the house, one man saw them and started to run. Then they heard an engine start and saw another man taking off on a motorcycle. Both suspects headed to the woods.

In a later interview at the jail, Deputy Jackson said Blake, age 51 from Bloomfield, told him he was out behind Crowe’s residence when Crowe, age 50 from Bloomfield, came running by while shouting “Cops” and running on into the woods. Blake said he knew there were active warrants out for his own arrest and there was a blue motorcycle nearby, so he jumped on and also headed for the woods.  

Blake crashed the motorcycle, but he got up and continued to flee on foot with the two officers in pursuit.

Blake was captured first, handcuffed and walked back to the patrol vehicles where he was placed in the back of a GCSD vehicle.

Assistance started to arrive on the scene to help with the search, including Officer Andrew Duguay and K9 Blitz from the Jasonville Police Department, as well as officers from the Greene County Sheriff’s Department, Indiana DNR Law Enforcement, the Bloomfield Police Department, Worthington Police Department and the Indiana State Police.

As they continued searching the woods for Crowe, a call came in to GCSD dispatch from a citizen reporting they had just seen a man walking on Calvertville Road wearing handcuffs behind his back. Blake had escaped custody.

In a detailed narrative written by Deputy Jackson, he said GCSD Deputy David Elmore had just stepped out of his vehicle and he was unable to apprehend Blake as he got away.

Crowe was then captured by Indiana Conservation Officer Greg Swanson who transported Crowe to the Greene County Jail.

After getting Crowe booked in, ICO Swanson returned to the Calvertville area where officers were still searching for the handcuffed Blake.

Once he returned, ICO Swanson also located and captured Blake. He found him hiding in a water drain culvert.

Blake was transported to jail by Deputy Elmore.

Blake had two felony cases already pending against him with warrants out for his arrest in both cases. He was initially booked in to jail on those warrants and would be facing new charges resulting from the day’s events.

Click here to read stories about the other cases involving Blake.

Earlier this week, when Blake appeared in court for an initial hearing in the latest case (his third pending case), he was charged with:

• Resisting law enforcement using a vehicle, a Level 6 felony,
• Resisting law enforcement – knowingly or intentionally fleeing from officers, a Class A misdemeanor, and
• Escape where the defendant just runs away from lawful detention, a Level 5 felony.    

In the case of Rusty Crowe, he was booked in on the warrant and would also be facing new charges resulting from the day’s events, including additional drug-related counts after officers reported finding methamphetamine as well as smoking and other devices in Crowe’s truck.   

Click here to read a story about the other case involving Crowe.

When Crowe appeared in court for his initial hearing, he was charged with:

• Possession of methamphetamine, a Level 6 felony,
• Resisting law enforcement – knowingly or intentionally fleeing from officers, a Class A misdemeanor, and
• Possession of paraphernalia, a Class C misdemeanor.