UNION COUNTY, Ind. — Police said they are searching for a man who stole a sheriff’s truck and gun after escaping from handcuffs during an arrest.
Indiana State Police issued an alert on Tuesday after Steven Lakes allegedly took the vehicle. Police said Lakes took the Ford F-150, which has sheriff decals on it, from a Union County sheriff’s deputy.
Deputies had arrested Lakes at approximately 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, but he was able to slip out of his handcuffs before taking the truck, WISH reported.
Lakes was wanted following a standoff at his home on Saturday. Officers with the Connellsville Police Department had been at a home looking for Lakes, who was wanted on warrants for battery of a public safety official and dealing methamphetamine, WXIN reported. After a standoff lasting several hours, officers used “chemical weapons” to get into the house.
Once inside, officers said they found “hidden rooms and crawl spaces” but were unable to locate Lakes, according to WXIN.
In an updated news release, Indiana State Police said that the sheriff’s truck was recovered in Shelbyville, Indiana, on Tuesday night. Police said that Lakes was in possession of the deputy’s firearm and while still missing, should be considered armed and dangerous.
Lakes was last seen heading to Ripley County, wearing a black hoodie and black pants. He is 5 feet, 6 inches tall and weighs approximately 145 pounds. Officers said that he does not have the facial hair he is seen with in the photo distributed by state police.
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