Tippecanoe County – Thursday evening, just before 9:00 p.m., Sgt. Kendall was patrolling County Road 150 East near Wea School Road when he observed what was later determined to be a 2014 GMC Terrain doing “donuts” in the parking lot of Wea Park. As he turned around to investigate, the vehicle drove through a ditch and onto County Road 150 East, heading northbound at a high rate of speed.
Sgt. Kendall attempted to conduct a traffic stop for speeding, but the driver failed to stop and continued to flee. While fleeing, the GMC Terrain passed another car before continuing northbound on County Road 150 East, through the roundabout at County Road 430 South, and onto 18th Street. The driver then turned eastbound onto Whisper Valley Road and fled through a neighborhood before finally coming to a stop on Cooper Valley Drive.
The driver, later identified as 18-year-old Bryant Taylor of Lafayette, fled on foot, while several other occupants remained inside the vehicle. Shortly after, a deputy with the Tippecanoe County Sheriff’s Office located Taylor attempting to enter an occupied vehicle. He was safely taken into custody and transported to the Tippecanoe County Jail.
Four juvenile passengers that remained in the vehicle were released to their parents.
Arrested and Preliminary Charges:
Bryant Taylor, 18, of Lafayette
1. Resisting Law Enforcement with a Vehicle – Level 6 Felony
2. Resisting Law Enforcement – Class A Misdemeanor
3. Unlawful Entry of a Motor Vehicle – Class B Misdemeanor
4. Possession of Marijuana – Class B Misdemeanor
5. Operating a Vehicle Without Ever Receiving a Driver’s License – Class C Misdemeanor
Sgt. Kendall was assisted by other troopers from the Lafayette Post, the Tippecanoe County Sheriff’s Office, and the Lafayette Police Department.
All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.