More information has been released on the multiple county chase regarding an attempted child abduction.
Just before 3:40 pm yesterday, Spencer County Deputies responded to a call about subject displaying a handgun to another subject at a residence on College Street in Chrisney. The subject with the handgun and another subject then left the scene and headed southbound out of Chrisney.
Later on, around 5:19 pm, Kentucky authorities contacted the Spencer County Sheriff’s Office regarding a report of a male subject that attempted to abduct a child from an Owensboro home. The subject was identified as Francis Wilkins V of Owensboro. Wilkins was reported to be one of the subjects in the Chrisney incident earlier in the day. It was at that point that a pursuit began in Kentucky and headed north towards Indiana.
Both Kentucky and Indiana authorities pursued the vehicle into Indiana. The chase ended in a wreck in a cornfield off US 231 near AK Steel. After the wreck, the driver of the vehicle, later identified as Robert J. Chilcoate ran from the scene. Francis Wilkins V was located inside the vehicle, along with a female individual and two small children. Wilkins was taken into custody and is being held on local charges. The female and two small children were transported to a local hospital by Spencer County EMS.
As of right now, a search for Robert J. Chilcoate is being conducted both on foot and from the air. Chilcoate was last spotted at approximately 9:11 pm last night on CR 350 N near CR 200 E. The Spencer County Sheriff’s Office asks the community to be vigilant in reporting any suspicious activity. Chilcoate is reported as being dangerous and anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to contact the Spencer County Sheriff’s Office or the Indiana State Police.
