Tippecanoe County – On May 25, just after 11:30 p.m., Indiana State Police Region 1 Dispatch received a 9-1-1 call reporting a possible impaired driver traveling northbound on Interstate 65. Trooper Bradley Howell responded to the area and located a 2012 Volkswagen Jetta matching the description provided.
When Trooper Howell attempted to initiate a traffic stop near the 179-mile marker for a traffic violation, the driver failed to stop and fled northbound on I-65. The pursuit continued to the 193-mile marker, where troopers had deployed a tire deflation device across the interstate. The vehicle struck the device and came to a stop shortly afterward. The driver was then safely taken into custody.
During the investigation, troopers gathered information indicating the driver was under the influence of suspected alcohol and narcotics. A subsequent search of the vehicle led to the discovery of suspected cocaine and marijuana. The driver, identified as Claudian Rivero Sombra, 35, of Des Plaines, Illinois, was transported to the Tippecanoe County Jail.
Arrested:
Claudian Rivero Sombra, 35, Des Plaines, IL
Preliminary Charges:
- Resisting Law Enforcement with a Vehicle – Level 6 Felony
- Possession of Cocaine – Level 6 Felony
- Resisting Law Enforcement – Class A Misdemeanor
- Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated with a BAC of .15 or More – Class A Misdemeanor
- Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated Endangering a Person – Class A Misdemeanor
- Possession of Marijuana – Class B Misdemeanor
- Operating a Vehicle Under the Influence of a Controlled Substance – Class C Misdemeanor
Trooper Howell was assisted by other troopers from the Lafayette and Lowell posts, as well as the Jasper County Sheriff’s Office.
All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.