By Lisa Trigg
TERRE HAUTE — In veritable grading scale of criminal charges, a Brazil man heard 13 charges filed against him Wednesday in Vigo Superior Court 6, all stemming from a Jan. 22 vehicle chase and standoff with police.
Douglas M. Fulk, 30, cradled his head in one hand as Judge Michael Lewis read the 13 charges, which allege in part that Fulk attempted to murder three Terre Haute Police officers when he fired a weapon at them during the chase.
The potential penalty for conviction on all 13 charges ranges from 871⁄2 to 249 years in prison.
At the request of Deputy Prosecutor Jason Saunders, Lewis also increased Fulk’s bail from $250,000 cash only to $500,000 cash only due to the attempted murder charges.
The chase and standoff began Jan. 21 when police attempted to make a traffic stop on an auto driven by Fulk because they had received a tip that Fulk had a machine gun in the car.
A chase through Terre Haute’s east side ensued, during which Fulk allegedly fired the gun at pursuing police officers at three different places.
The chase came to an end in the Terre Vista neighborhood after Fulk bailed out of his auto and burst into a home on Lakeview Drive. The homeowner ran out of the house unharmed, and Fulk barricaded himself inside the house as police surrounded the residence and called in the Special Response Team.
Fulk surrendered peacefully to police about two hours later, and was taken into custody.
The charges read in court Wednesday allege that Fulk attempted to murder officers Matthew Morgan, Chad Bowman and Adam Loudermilk when he fired a gun at them during the chase. Those are the three class-A felony charges.
Three counts of class-B felony aggravated battery allege that Fulk fired his weapon at the three officers. Another class-B felony charge of burglary was filed because Fulk allegedly forced his way into the home in Terre Vista.
In the class-D felony counts, Fulk was charged with intimidation for allegedly threatening Detective Troy Davis to move police away from the residence, for resisting law enforcement by fleeing from police using a vehicle, and for criminal recklessness for allegedly swerving his car toward another police officer.
Two class-A misdemeanors were filed, alleging that Fulk resisted law enforcement by fleeing from officers after they identified themselves, and alleging that he carried a handgun without a license.
A class-C felony charge of carrying a handgun without a license also was filed against Fulk as an enhancement because he had been convicted in October 2006 of the same charge in Clay County.
Lewis assigned attorney Angela Bullock as Fulk’s public defender in the case. His next court date is set for Feb. 8.
Lisa Trigg can be reached at (812) 231-4254 or lisa.trigg@tribstar.com.
