Suspected reckless driver tried to flee but was stopped and tackled Tuesday night

A Bloomfield police officer was put in a dangerous situation after stopping a car on State Road 157 for alleged reckless driving on Tuesday night. The suspect fled the scene but was apprehended with assistance from three Jasonville police officers who happened to be in the area.

Garrett Dustin Strauser

Garrett Dustin Strauser, 38, Bloomfield, was arrested by Deputy Marshal Wayman JR Blazier of the Bloomfield Police Department on Tuesday night, November 10.

On Tuesday evening, a woman who was headed west on State Road 54 east of Bloomfield near Blue Barn Hill Road called the sheriff’s department to report an erratic driver. The woman said the vehicle traveling in front of her was crossing the center line and was all over the road. She was able to describe the vehicle and give the license plate number.

Officers were dispatched to locate the vehicle.

BPD Lt. Marvin Holt headed east out of Bloomfield and passed the vehicle as it was coming into Bloomfield.

Then Officer Blazier, the investigating officer in this case, located the vehicle as it turned north on State Road 157. He got behind the vehicle and when he caught up to it near SR 157 and Laura Lane, he reported the vehicle ran off the right shoulder of the road, overcorrected and crossed over the double yellow line in the center of the roadway. He activated the lights to initiate a traffic stop and the car pulled over.

Garrett Strauser was identified as the driver of a white Pontiac G6 that matched the description given by the earlier caller.

Officer Blazier said when he talked to Strauser, he smelled a strong odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle and he could see a glass smoking pipe with white residue in Strauser’s lap.

Strauser was ordered out of the vehicle but he refused and when Officer Blazier attempted to physically remove him from the vehicle, Strauser resisted. The vehicle was on and Strauser put the vehicle in gear. The vehicle started to move as the officer was trying to remove him.

Officer Blazier reported that he was partially inside the vehicle when he told Strauser to put the car in park but Strauser sped up and the officer discharged his taser at him as Strauser drove away.

Strauser fled north on SR 157 and Officer Blazier requested assistance then attempted to catch up to Strauser.

Officers Jim Gadberry, Brittany Allen and Skyler Scott, all from the Jasonville Police Department, were in the area just ahead of Officer Blazier’s location and were able to locate the suspect vehicle where it had driven off the southbound side of the road then back onto the road and continued on north.

With Strauser continuing north on SR 157 at a low rate of speed, Officer Blazier said he was able to box Strauser in and get him pulled over with the help of the Jasonville police officers. This occurred in the area of 2542 North SR 157.

After he was stopped, Strauser got out of his vehicle and Officer Blazier had Strauser at gunpoint when he ordered Strauser to get on the ground. Strauser did not comply with repeated orders. Strauser was tackled to the ground by Officer Gadberry.

Strauser was transported to the Greene County Jail where he was booked in at 8:12 p.m. and held without bond pending court appearance.

A number of illegal items and items associated with drug use was allegedly found in the car during an inventory, including two glass water bongs, a container with a brown tar substance, a container with a yellow tar substance, plastic ziplock baggies all containing a white crystal substance, a glass smoking pipe with a white and black residue, broken pipe pieces with brown residue, a glass smoking pipe with brown residue, and a glass smoking pipe with burnt plant material. Some items tested positive for methamphetamine. Items were either photographed and destroyed or sent to the Indiana State Police Lab for analysis.

A criminal case was filed against Strauser on Thursday but the date for his initial hearing was not set at the time this story was posted.

Strauser is facing preliminary charges of:

• Resisting law enforcement using a vehicle, a Level 6 felony,

• Criminal recklessness, a Class B misdemeanor,

• Resisting law enforcement – knowingly or intentionally forcibly resists, a Class A misdemeanor,

• Possession of methamphetamine, a Level 6 felony,

• Possession of marijuana, a Class B misdemeanor, and

• Possession of paraphernalia, a Class C misdemeanor.