CORYDON, Ind. — A Virginia man was arrested in southern Indiana after he led state police on a chase.
According to an Indiana State Police press release, 41-year-old Mitchell Ray Lassiter Jr. of Hampton, Virginia, was taken into custody on Friday.
At 2:30 p.m. that day, a Harrison County Sheriff’s Deputy observed a vehicle traveling 120 mph on the right shoulder of I-64 near Corydon. A state trooper became aware of the incident while driving on State Road 135 — just north of the stretch of I-64 in question
Soon after the trooper heard about the speeding car, he watched a white Mercedes exit I-64 and start driving south on SR 135. The Mercedes quickly made a U-turn and started heading north toward the interstate.
State police reported that the Mercedes then ran several stoplights and forced some vehicles off the road. In trying to evade police, the vehicle then turned onto Old SR 135.
Eventually, the vehicle re-entered I-64 and turned left into the median. ISP indicated the Mercedes then got stuck in the grassy area.
Lassiter Jr. attempted to flee from the vehicle and tried to scale a rock wall near an interstate on-ramp, according to ISP. Eventually, state troopers caught up with Lassiter Jr. and ordered him to lie on the ground.
Lassiter Jr. complied with troopers’ orders, per ISP. State police reported that they later located marijuana and 61 grams of methamphetamine in Lassiter’s possession.
Lassiter has been preliminarily charged with possession of methamphetamine, criminal recklessness and resisting law enforcement.
The stiffest charge Lassiter faces, possession of methamphetamine, is a Level 3 felony. The maximum penalty for a Level 3 felony in Indiana is 16 years in prison and a fine of up $10,000.
