Fort Wayne Man Arrested After Leading Troopers on Forty Mile High Speed Pursuit

(Huntington County, IN)- A Fort Wayne man is behind bars in the Huntington County jail after leading Troopers on a forty mile high speed vehicle pursuit Wednesday night on I-69.  The pursuit ran from the 280mm in Huntington County, all the way down into Delaware County, where it was safely terminated on SR332, just west of Muncie.

The incident began at approximately 9:20pm just north of Warren on I-69.  Trooper Adam Carroll (Fort Wayne Post) attempted to stop a white Chevrolet Impala passenger car traveling southbound at 120mph on I-69..  The driver, later identified as Demitrius Duane Ridley, 33, Fort Wayne, failed to stop for Trooper Carroll, continuing southbound at speeds ranging from 90-120mph.

Trooper Casey Witzigreuter (Fort Wayne), along with troopers from the Peru Post, Pendleton Post, and numerous officers from various city and county agencies attempted to assist Trooper Carroll in safely ending the pursuit.   Officers were able to successfully coordinate and employ de-escalation and confinement tactics along the forty mile pursuit route, which included several stop stick deployments, and the blocking of interstate exit ramps to keep the reckless high speed travel confined to the interstate. Ridley did however manage to exit the interstate at the 241mm, heading east on SR332 (W. McGalliard Rd) in Delaware County.

Officers ahead of the pursuit were able to successfully deploy stop sticks on W. McGalliard Road at County Road 500 West, deflating both of Ridley’s front tires.  Ridley continued driving west on two flat tires, but eventually his vehicle became inoperable near Nebo Road on the west side of Muncie.  Ridley continued to resist officers by barricading himself inside of his vehicle.

At approximately 9:55pm, after a brief period of negotiation, Troopers were able to successfully take Ridley into custody without the use of physical force. He was transported back to the Huntington County Jail, where he was jailed on numerous charges, and is currently being held pending an initial hearing.

Arrested:

                        Demitrius Duane Ridley, 33, Fort Wayne, IN

Charges:

• Resisting Law Enforcement, Level 6 Felony
• Resisting Law Enforcement, Misdemeanor
• Reckless Driving, Misdemeanor
• Operating While Intoxicated, Misdemeanor
• Operator Never Licensed, Misdemeanor
• Operating While Suspended (Prior), Misdemeanor

Trooper Carroll was assisted in this pursuit by Trooper Casey Witzigreuter, several Troopers from the ISP Peru Post and ISP Pendleton Post, numerous local police and sheriff department officers from Huntington, Grant, and Delaware Counties.

*All charges listed are merely accusations at this point.  All criminal defendants are to be presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.