Short Police Pursuit in Tippecanoe County Ends With Vehicle Hitting Train

Tippecanoe County – Monday at approximately 9:06 a.m. on US 231 southbound at the SR 26 intersection, a trooper spots a possible stolen vehicle and attempts to make a traffic stop.  The vehicle failed to stop and attempted to ram the police vehicle before taking off southbound with the trooper following.

Sergeant Brian Olehy was in his unmarked State Police vehicle when he spotted the possible stolen maroon 1999 Chevrolet Silverado pickup with no license plate on the vehicle and was occupied by a male juvenile driver.  As he attempted to stop the pickup, the driver tries to ramp his police vehicle and then fled south on US 231.  Sergeant Olehy had activated his emergency lights and siren and followed the pickup southbound on US 231 from SR 26 intersection. 

Senior Trooper Tyler Stinson joined in the pursuit in his unmarked State Police vehicle and takes the lead in pursuit of the pickup truck.  The truck continues southbound and runs through the light at SR 25 continuing south.  Two Troopers in a marked State Police vehicle attempted to deploy stops sticks just north of CR 275 South.  The driver of the pickup runs off the roadway to avoid striking the sticks and then turns west on CR 275 South. 

After turning right, the pickup continues westbound for about one mile when he tops a hill and at the bottom of the hill is a railroad crossing with a train on the tracks traveling at approximately 10 mph.  The driver attempted to turn right at the tracks but hits the train and the pickup is drug about 15 feet over a guardrail and came to a rest. 

Trooper Stinson ordered the juvenile driver out of the vehicle.  He was taken into custody as other police officers arrived to assist.  He is being held on Felony Resisting with a Vehicle, Operating a Vehicle While Never Receiving a License and Driving While Suspended.   

Carroll County Sheriff’s Department had originally reported the vehicle had been taken by the juvenile from a residence in Carroll County.  

Assisting at the scene were Trooper Corey Brown and Sergeant Kim Riley, Tippecanoe County Sheriff’s Department, Purdue Police Department and Joey’s Recovery Service. 

Suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.