(BEDFORD) - A Tennessee man died after he fled from Indiana State Police on Christmas Day and crashed during the pursuit in Lawrence County.
Indiana State Police say a trooper noticed a car driving erratically and tried to stop the vehicle. The driver refused to pull over and continued driving, even after the trooper activated emergency lights and a siren. Police identified the driver as 53-year-old John M. Pillen of Columbia, Tennessee.
Troopers followed Pillen as he continued to evade police at relatively low speeds. When troopers later attempted to stop him and gave verbal commands, Pillen instead put his car in reverse and rammed a patrol vehicle twice before fleeing again.
As the pursuit continued, police attempted to end it using a maneuver designed to safely stop the vehicle, but Pillen sped away. He later accelerated to highway speeds and drove into oncoming traffic.
Pillen's car crossed the center line and crashed into a utility truck that had pulled over for emergency vehicles.
Troopers and deputies immediately tried to save Pillen's life at the scene. Paramedics transported him to a Bloomington hospital, where he later died from his injuries.
Indiana State Police crash reconstructionists and detectives continue to investigate the crash. Officers have not yet been able to notify Pillen's family.