On Wednesday night, when a driver was stopped east of Bloomfield for speeding, he took off from the traffic stop and led a Bloomfield police officer east on SR 54, passing other vehicles on curves and no-passing zones at speeds over 90 mph. He slid off the road at one point but got back on the road with two busted tires and continued into eastern Greene County where he finally stopped and was taken into custody.  

Perry Nathaniel Warfield, 44, of Nineveh, Ind., was booked into the Greene County Jail shortly before midnight on Wednesday, September 1, on 13 counts ranging from OVWI and drug possession to fleeing from an officer in a vehicle and reckless driving. He was also wanted on a warrant issued out of Hamilton County in another case involving OVWI. He was being held without bond and late Friday, he was still in custody.

Around 8 p.m. Wednesday, Lt. Marvin Holt of the Bloomfield Police Department was sitting in his patrol vehicle in the pull-off area just off State Road 54 and JL Wilson Road east of Bloomfield when he saw a gray 1995 GMC van with Ohio plates headed east on the highway at a high rate of speed. He reported he clocked the vehicle going 81 mph in a 50 mph zone. Lt. Holt pulled out to travel behind the vehicle. The driver was later identified as Perry Warfield.

After pacing Warfield continuing to speed at 80 mph, Lt. Holt initiated a traffic stop in the area of the 4800 block of SR 54. Warfield pulled over and so did another vehicle. Lt. Holt was just getting out of his patrol vehicle when Warfield drove away and again headed east on the highway.

As Lt. Holt advised dispatch of the situation, his lights and sirens were on while following Warfield at speeds in excess of 90 mph. Lt. Holt reported Warfield passed several vehicles in no-passing zones and through curves. He said there was oncoming traffic multiple times while Warfield was driving at reckless speeds.

When they neared one intersection on SR 54, Lt. Holt said Warfield was going entirely too fast for the curve ahead so he backed off in the area of SR 54 and SR 43. Warfield lost control of his vehicle and started sliding sideways, crossing both lanes of traffic then going into an open field on the north side of the road, directly north of MileStone Asphalt. As Warfield’s vehicle was sliding sideways through the field, Lt. Holt said he was anticipating a rollover but the vehicle didn’t roll.

Lt. Holt drove into the field and positioned his vehicle about 50 yards away from Warfield’s vehicle, got out with his sidearm drawn and told Warfield to get out of his vehicle multiple times. The GMC then started rolling forward, picked up speed and got back on the highway and headed eastbound with two blown tires, but at a reduced speed.

Once he was behind Warfield’s vehicle on the road, Warfield was making a lot of movements in the vehicle and Lt. Holt noted he was expecting the worst at that point and couldn’t rule out that Warfield was loading a weapon.

Just short of the intersection of SR 45 and SR 445, Warfield stopped and Lt. Holt again stopped, got out with his sidearm drawn and ordered Warfield to put both hands out the window and keep them there. Warfield complied and then both Lt. Holt and Warfield held their positions until back-up arrived on the scene.

An ISP trooper was first to arrive then Sgt. Jordan Allor and Det. Shawn Cullison of the Greene County Sheriff’s Department. Warfield was taken into custody and Lt. Holt’s report indicates he was cooperative after he was in custody.

Warfield allegedly admitted he’d been drinking, knew he had a warrant out on him, and didn’t want to go back to jail and that’s why he fled.

No weapons were found in the vehicle but officers did locate several 410 shells. They also located several pills/controlled substances, a smoking device and green leafy plant material that field-tested positive as marijuana.

After being transported to the sheriff’s department, Warfield allegedly failed field sobriety testing and refused a chemical test so a warrant was issued for a blood draw which was taken at the sheriff’s department by personnel from the Greene County Ambulance Service – results pending.

A date for an initial hearing has not yet been set but a criminal case was filed against Warfield in Greene Superior Court earlier today, Friday, September 3.

He’s facing charges of:

• Operating a vehicle while intoxicated, a Class C misdemeanor,

• Operating a vehicle with a controlled substance in body, a Class C misdemeanor,

• Operating a vehicle while intoxicated endangering a person, a Class A misdemeanor,

• Possession of marijuana, a Class B misdemeanor,

• Possession of marijuana, a Class A misdemeanor,

• Possession of a controlled substance, a Class A misdemeanor,

• Possession of a controlled substance, a Class A misdemeanor,

• Unlawful possession or use of a legend drug, a Level 6 felony,

• Possession of paraphernalia, a Class C misdemeanor,

• Possession of paraphernalia, a Class A misdemeanor,

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

• Reckless driving at unreasonable speed that endangers safety, a Class C misdemeanor, and

• Leaving the scene of an accident, a Class B misdemeanor.