Man arrested on LST 325 after fleeing over dock gate

EVANSVILLE, Ind. (WEHT) — The Evansville Police Department says a man was arrested Wednesday morning at the top of the LST 325. Officers say, at around 8:30 a.m., the man ran and climbed the gate after being approached. LST employees say it’s not the first time someone has tried to sneak on board.

“I don’t know if he expected to start this baby and go to Louisville, but it takes a whole lot to start this ship right here,” says Chris Donahue, the Vice President of the LST’s Board of Directors.

LST staff say it started with someone reported to police that the man was acting erratically in the skywalk.

Police say in an effort to evade officers, he climbed the 7 ft. gate that separates the ship from Riverside Drive. Then, they say he climbed three levels to get to the ship helm.

EPD says the man was under the influence of something and is now being treated at a hospital.
Zachary Shaw says he found himself quickly unlocking the gate for police, after arriving for a shift.

“All the cops were running towards the gate out here. None of them could get in. None of them had one of the tool cutters needed to break the padlock. He was right up there on the O2 deck where the bell is…So, the cops had to scale the tower. They chased him up to the O3 deck, and all I saw was him drop. They gently walked him out, and it was, kind of chaotic,” says Shaw, the Archives Assistant and Head Tour Guide.

Shaw says it took 30 minutes to get the man down. He also shares that something similar has happened before.

“We had somebody try to get on the ship once before. As part of our regular procedure, all the hatches and door coverings that you see around here are locked shut every single night. I always knew that that was a possibility. I just never thought I would see it happening,” says Shaw.

Donahue says the situation shows their protocols work. “We’re down here in a high visibility area… There’s somewhere between 7 and 10 police here pretty quick. So, no the guy got on the ship, but he couldn’t get in the ship,” says Donahue.

EPD says the man will face several charges, including trespassing and public intoxication, once he’s out of the hospital.

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