Half past two o’clock on Thursday morning Trooper Roberts with the Indiana State Police was patrolling US 41 in Gibson County when he initiated a traffic stop on a 2020 Chevrolet SUV for a speeding violation.
The vehicle was traveling 90 mph and reached 100 mph while failing to stop before entering Knox County and turning down a different road before coming to a dead end. The driver turned around, nearly striking the pursuing trooper, and continued west across US 41 before weaving through several other streets and back to the southbound lane of US 41 at speeds over 100 mph. Troopers eventually lost sight of the SUV and continued to patrol the area.
Trooper Roberts located the vehicle only minutes later parked at the end of a long driveway in a heavily wooded area. The passenger, 36-year-old Jadie Jordan of Mt. Vernon Illinois was detained. Before other law enforcement could arrive at the scene, the driver, later identified as 20-year-old Alexis Fairchild of Salem, Illinois, fled on foot.
Knox County Sheriff’s Deputy Linenburg, his K-9 partner, Blast, The Vincennes Township Fire Department, and their drones with thermal imaging capabilities arrived to search the area. Officers were unable to locate Fairchild at that time and called off their search.
Officers searched the vehicle and located a small amount of marijuana. Jordan was arrested for the possession charge and transported to the Gibson County Jail.
Further investigation of the involved vehicle revealed it to be stolen out of Centralia, Illinois. The Gibson County Sheriff’s Office received reports of a female walking near the scene of their search for Fairchild a few hours after the initial chase, around 7 a.m. They responded to the scene and located Alexis Fairchild before she was arrested and transported to the Gibson County Jail. Fairchild is being held with bond on two Level 6 felony charges of Resisting Law Enforcement and Possession of a Stolen Vehicle, a Class A Misdemeanor for Resisting Law Enforcement, and a Class B Misdemeanor for Possession of Marijuana.
Left to Right: Alexis Fairchild and Jadie Jordan
