COLUMBUS, Ind. — Four Louisville, Kentucky men were arrested after leading Indiana State Police on a pursuit through Bartholomew and Jackson counties.
The pursuit began at about 1 a.m. Tuesday when Trooper Taylor Cosby stopped a 2015 Kia passenger vehicle on I-65 northbound near the 67 mile marker in Bartholomew County for traveling in excess of 100 miles per hour, said Sgt. Stephen Wheeles, Indiana State Police spokesman.
After making contact with the occupants of the vehicle, Cosby obtained information that criminal activity was taking place. He was assisted at the scene by Troopers Austin Straub and Taylor Ranshaw, Indiana State Police-Versailles Post.
While troopers conducted the investigation at the scene, the driver of the vehicle, Derek J. Fajardo, placed the vehicle in drive and fled from the scene northbound on to I-65. The vehicle made contact with Trp. Ranshaw when it fled the scene. He was later treated for minor injuries, Wheeles said.
The troopers pursued the vehicle northbound on I-65 where it then exited onto State Road 46 into Columbus. Fajardo then did a u-turn and entered back onto I-65 southbound. The vehicle soon entered into Jackson County where Jackson County deputies and Seymour police officers assisted by deploying a tire deflation device, which the vehicle struck.
Shots were discharged from the suspect’s vehicle during the pursuit. Three firearms were also thrown from the vehicle during the pursuit and located along I-65 in Jackson County. The vehicle later came to a stop on I-65, just south of Seymour. All four occupants of the vehicle were then taken into custody by officers with the Versailles and Sellersburg Districts, Jackson County Sheriff’s Department and Seymour Police Department.
One of the guns thrown from the vehicle along with the vehicle were found to have been reported stolen out of Louisville. Marijuana was also found to be in the possession of the four occupants of the vehicle, Wheeles said.
- Derek Fajardo, 27, was arrested on charges of Possession of Stolen Vehicle, Resisting Law Enforcement, Battery, Reckless Driving, Possession of Stolen Firearm, Criminal Recklessness with a Firearm, Obstruction of Justice, and Possession of Marijuana.
- Jordan Griffith, 25, was arrested on charges of Possession of Stolen Firearm, Criminal Recklessness with a Firearm, Obstruction of Justice, Possession of Firearm by Serious Violent Felon, and Possession of Marijuana. Griffith was also wanted on a warrant out of Louisville, Kentucky.
- Breyon Bell, 28, was arrested on charges of Possession of Stolen Firearm, Criminal Recklessness with a Firearm, Obstruction of Justice, Possession of Firearm by Serious Violent Felon, and Possession of Marijuana.
- Gualber Castro, 20, was arrested on charges of Possession of Stolen Firearm, Criminal Recklessness with a Firearm, Obstruction of Justice, and Possession of Marijuana.
All four were transported to the Bartholomew County Jail where they were being held pending their initial appearances in the Bartholomew County Circuit Court.
For more on this story, see Friday’s Republic.
