Driver arrested after fleeing from police, I-65 crash

State police say a Bloomington man was arrested in Bartholomew County Sunday evening after nearly striking a trooper’s patrol vehicle and later being forced to crash.

According to Indiana State Police, the incident started at about 7:36 p.m. Sunday evening when a trooper was driving on Interstate 65 southbound, on his way home from working at the Indianapolis 500. That’s when a speeding driver nearly sideswiped the trooper’s vehicle, just north of the Edinburgh exit. The trooper tried to pull the vehicle over, but instead of stopping the driver raced away. After a short chase, the trooper decided to stop the pursuit because of the crowded and wet road conditions.

Dispatchers soon reported that the driver had crashed farther south on the interstate. According to reports, the driver hit two other vehicles, and was then boxed in by other motorists before being forced to stop near the Bartholomew/Jackson county line. No one was injured in the other crashes.

The driver refused to obey commands from the trooper and was subdued with a Taser. Police soon found that the vehicle had been reported stolen out of Marion County.

The driver, 23 year old Joe D. Hacker was arrested on felony charges of:

• Resisting Law Enforcement with a Vehicle
• Theft of a Motor Vehicle
• Unauthorized Entry of a Motor Vehicle Used in a Crime
• Obstruction of Justice.

Misdemeanor charges included:

• Resisting Law Enforcement
• Operating While Intoxicated (Endangerment)
• Theft (All Other Larceny)
• Aggressive Driving
• Leaving the Scene of a Property Damage Crash
• Reckless Driving Causing Property Damage
• Operating While Intoxicated
• Refusal to Identify

The Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department also assisted in the incident.