14 News, The Tri-State's News and Weather Leader-Dubois suspect caught in Warrick County

Dubois suspect caught in Warrick County

By Nicole DiDonato - bio | email
Posted by Noah Stubbs - email

DUBOIS CO., IN (WFIE) - The manhunt for a Dubois County suspect ends in Warrick County.

According to the sheriff's office, the suspect, Robert Chapman, 29 of Elizabethtown, was captured late Thursday night.

Our media partner, WITZ, says Chapman was caught at the Manor Motel near Boonville.

The Dubois County Sheriff's Office says it all started with a call from a concerned resident saying they didn't trust two men inquiring about doing some yard work.

Deputies eventually caught up with the duo and arrested one man, Christopher Selig.

But it didn't end there.

Darrell Roesner was sitting on a swing in his driveway when deputies pulled a Chevy Trailblazer over on SR 161.

It was the vehicle that authorities were looking for.

"Then the deputy started yelling for them to get out," Roesner said. "By that time he had his gun drawn and I thought that's about when I should get in the house."

Roesner went inside.

In the meantime, outside Roesner's home, deputies tried to get the driver out of the SUV.

As they did so, the passenger escaped out of his door and took off running into Roesner's cornfield.

"The deputy come around and said stay in your house," Roesner said. "One guy got out of the vehicle and ran around your house."

Deputies found several guns in the back seat of the SUV.

Those were the guns they believe were stolen from somewhere in Pike County.

While K9's searched for the suspect's scent in the field, authorities put Holland Elementary School on lock down.

Ironically, the school was about to hold a lock down drill.

"Got on the intercom and said we are under a lock down this is not a drill," Holland Elementary School Principal Sarah Bardwell said. "They shut their doors to the classrooms which are already locked, got away from the line of sight in the door and shut off their lights."

The rain made searching for the suspect difficult.

K9's eventually lost the scent.

By noon, the school lock down was lifted.

As the Chevy Blazer and guns sit in a garage at the Dubois County Security Center, the town returned to normal.

"It doesn't bother me any, I'm not scared of him," Roesner said. "I can protect myself."

Roesner says he'll be safe with his dog by his side and a gun.

"I would shoot to kill. I'd make him double up," Roesner said. 

Sheriff Heilman says Chapman may face several charges out of Pike, Dubois and possibly Warrick Counties.

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