Sword-wielding woman with gunshot wounds steals cop car, spurs chase, Kentucky cops say

Mitchell Willetts, The Charlotte Observer on Apr 23, 2025

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

A woman wearing a motorcycle helmet and waving a sword at an Indiana police officer stole his car and led authorities on a chase that ended violently in Kentucky, officials say.

A Chandler police officer was responding to a reckless driver call at about 9 a.m. Monday, April 21, in Warrick County when they first encountered the suspect, Indiana State Police said in a news release.

She was later identified as Nina Devillez, 31, of Santa Claus, Indiana, records show.

Devillez wouldn’t pull over, so the officer pursued her until she crashed into a ditch, police said. However, she emerged from the wreck with what “appeared to be a sword” and began waving it at the officer, who opened fire, hitting Devillez “at least once,” police said. Despite being wounded, she got into the officer’s patrol vehicle and sped away.

“The suspect was able to elude police until a Rockport Police officer spotted the Chandler Police vehicle traveling south on US 231 near C.R. 350 North. Police attempted to stop the police vehicle, but the suspect continued to travel south at speeds of more than 120 mph,” the release said.

Shortly after crossing into Kentucky, Devillez went off the road and crashed into a field, according to ISP.

At that moment, a deputy with the Daviess County Sheriff’s Department arrived at the scene and saw an Indiana officer yelling commands at Devillez, which she was ignoring, records show.

The deputy said Devillez was bleeding from multiple gunshot wounds.

She tried to run away, but apparently wasn’t able to, so she started swinging her helmet at an officer, the deputy reported, according to documents.

“I deployed my taser and had to deliver a few cycles until (Devillez) finally stopped,” they reported.

According to Indiana police, Devillez was taken to a hospital for treatment.

Kentucky records show she’s facing multiple charges including fleeing police, resisting arrest and disorderly conduct.

She’s also facing numerous felony charges in Indiana related to attacking an officer and stealing the officer’s vehicle.

Indiana and Kentucky authorities listed different genders for the suspect, but previous court records identify Devillez as transgender, the Courier & Press reported.

Daviess County, where the chase ended, is a roughly 110-mile drive southwest from Louisville.

_____