By Jackie Cummings
jcummings@journalandcourier.com

A Lafayette woman was listed in critical condition at an Indianapolis hospital Saturday after she was dragged by a car about 300 feet at the parking lot of a local bar.

According to Lafayette Police Sgt. Max Smith, officers responded about 3 a.m. Saturday to a call of a fight in progress at Riehle Brothers II, Club Cronk, 2250 Concord Road.

When officers arrived, a red Dodge Durango, driven by Octavius Alexander of Chicago, tried to flee the scene, striking three cars and three people before speeding away westbound on Teal Road.

The third person struck by the Durango, Eva Phillips, 22, of Richmond Court, was dragged by the Durango approximately 300 feet before she became dislodged as the truck jumped the curb into the parking lot of Christo's New City Grill restaurant. Phillips was transported to Home Hospital and later to Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis.

Alexander led officers on a 31-mile high-speed chase, driving at speeds of up to 100 mph, before he was apprehended in Benton County after officers deployed Stop Sticks.

Lafayette Police Chief Don Roush said he has faith his officers made the right call to pursue Alexander.

"We pursue offenders based on the need to stop their current illegal actions for public safety reasons, with the intent that we can stop the criminal activity," Roush said.

"When these types of pursuits take place, I emphatically trust the commanders and officers on the ground working the incident to make the right call."

No one was injured during the chase.

Once he was apprehended, Alexander was given a blood alcohol test that read 0.044, which is under the legal limit. He also tested positive for marijuana, according to an LPD release.

He was arrested and charged with operating a vehicle while intoxicated, causing serious bodily injury and felony fleeing in a vehicle.

Even though his blood alcohol level was under the legal limit, he was charged with OWI because he had marijuana in his system.

Alexander was being held in Tippecanoe County Jail on a $100,000 bond.

The first person struck by the Durango Saturday, an unidentified male, left the scene without being treated. The second victim, 25-year-old Candace Davis-Johannsen of Lafayette, was taken to Home Hospital for leg injuries and later released.

Roush said he believes bar and club owners should take more precautions to prevent such things from happening in their parking lots.

"Oftentimes, what starts in a bar ends in a parking lot," Roush said.

"By securing their parking lots with the use of lighting, cameras and additional security personnel, they can cut down on the likelihood of incidences like this from occurring."

Friday morning, Aaron L. Bagsby Jr., 21, was arrested on suspicion of battery resulting in bodily injury, criminal recklessness and failing to stop after a personal injury crash after running over a man in the parking lot of The Neon Cactus, 360 Brown St. in West Lafayette.

The 22-year-old male victim, who suffered a lower-leg injury, was listed in fair condition Saturday night at St. Elizabeth Medical Center, a hospital spokeswoman said. His name has not been released.