Driver arrested after trying to elude deputies at Raccoon Lake Recreation Area

Thursday, August 13, 2026 at 5:45 PM

By Staff report

A short pursuit ended with a crash early Thursday morning for Parke County deputies.

Deputies responded to the Raccoon Lake Recreation Area just after midnight for a report of an impaired driver in a Ford Explorer. It was reported that the male driver was intoxicated and had backed his vehicle into a tree at one of the campground sites. It was also reported that he was attempting to leave the campground area to drive towards Rockville.

Deputies arrived and attempted to do a traffic stop. The Ford Explorer failed to stop and after a short pursuit, it crashed into the guard shack at the entrance of the Raccoon Lake Recreation Area. The Ford Explorer then rolled onto its side and the driver, Christopher Porter, 25, of Crawfordsville, was trapped inside the vehicle.

Bellmore Fire Department was called to the scene, and Porter was extricated from the vehicle. He was transported to Union Hospital in Terre Haute for his injuries and his blood alcohol content was found to be 0.30%.

Porter was later transported to the Parke County Jail where he is being held with no bond.