Tippecanoe County, IN – An Illinois man was arrested late Sunday night following an alleged high-speed pursuit on Interstate 65 that ended in Tippecanoe County with multiple drug and DUI-related charges.
According to the Indiana State Police-Lafayette District, the incident began around 11:30 p.m. when dispatch received a 9-1-1 call reporting a possible impaired driver heading northbound on I-65. Trooper Bradley Howell responded and located a 2012 Volkswagen Jetta matching the vehicle description near the 179-mile marker.
As Trooper Howell attempted a traffic stop, the driver allegedly refused to pull over and continued fleeing north on the interstate. The pursuit ended near the 193-mile marker, where officers deployed a tire deflation device. The vehicle struck the device and came to a stop shortly afterward. The driver was taken into custody without further incident.
Investigators identified the suspect as 35-year-old Claudian Rivero Sombra of Des Plaines, Illinois. Authorities say he showed signs of impairment from both alcohol and narcotics. A subsequent search of the vehicle allegedly revealed suspected cocaine and marijuana.
Sombra was transported to the Tippecanoe County Jail and now faces several charges. These include resisting law enforcement with a vehicle and possession of cocaine, both Level 6 felonies. He is also charged with misdemeanor offenses including resisting law enforcement, operating a vehicle while intoxicated with a BAC of .15 or more, operating while intoxicated endangering a person, possession of marijuana, and operating a vehicle under the influence of a controlled substance.
Trooper Howell was assisted by officers from the Lafayette and Lowell state police posts, along with the Jasper County Sheriff’s Office.
All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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