Police: Drunken driver pursuit ends in crash in Downtown Evansville

March 18--An Evansville man faces a laundry list of charges and citations after he allegedly led police in a vehicle pursuit while intoxicated Friday night.

Peter Anthony Vellis, 47, faces preliminary charges that include two counts of operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated, reckless driving, failure to return to lawful detention and petition to provoke probation. He was also cited for disregarding traffic signals, unsafe lane changes, driving the wrong way, driving on a suspended license, driving without insurance, driving with expired registration and driving with an open container of alcohol.

According to a Vanderburgh County Sheriff's Office arrest affidavit, deputies assisted Posey County sheriff deputies in a pursuit about 10 p.m. A light blue Toyota Tercel was driving at a high rate of speed headed east on Lloyd Expressway near Rosenberger Avenue.

Police said the driver, later identified as Vellis, ran three red stoplights on the expressway at Rosenberger, Saint Joseph Avenue and Wabash Avenue. Police said Vellis crossed the center lane and drove into oncoming traffic near Saint Joseph.

Vellis exited the Lloyd at John Street then crashed into a light pole at the Northwest Third Street intersection, according to the affidavit. At the crash scene Vellis told a deputy that he was "having vehicle trouble and unable to stop," police said.

According to the affidavit, Vellis had a strong odor of alcohol on his breath and staggered when he tried to walk. Police said he could not obey simple commands and had a belligerent attitude. Vellis refused to take field sobriety tests and refused to provide a breath sample for a blood alcohol level test. He also refused a certified chemical test at the Vanderburgh County jail where he was lodged at 11:18 p.m. No bond is set as of Saturday morning.

Police found an open bottle of whiskey on the floor board of the Toyota, according to the affidavit. A Posey County deputy said he clocked Vellis driving at 79 mph on the Lloyd near West Franklin Road.

Vellis was charged with failure to return to lawful detention on January 29. A warrant was issued February 28.

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