INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — A police pursuit in Indianapolis ended fatally on I-65 near Franklin Wednesday night, authorities reported.
According to the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD), a homicide detective observed an aggravated assault suspect driving a truck near East 21st Street and North Emerson Avenue around 9 p.m. The detective called for backup to conduct a traffic stop, but the suspect refused to pull over, initiating a lengthy chase.
While traveling northbound on I-65, officers attempted a Pursuit Intervention Technique (PIT) maneuver, but the suspect managed to evade the spin and continued driving. Shortly thereafter, near the 92-mile marker, the truck veered off the road, struck a concrete culvert, became airborne, and landed in a ditch where it caught fire.
The driver, identified as 30-year-old Marco Antonio Peña Morales from Chicago by the Johnson County Coroner's Office, was pronounced dead at the scene.
IMPD's Internal Affairs Unit is investigating the incident to ensure departmental policies were followed throughout the pursuit, as per standard procedure. The names of the officers involved have not been released. No additional information is currently available.