(AUBURN) – A man has plead guilty to his part in the death of an Indiana State Trooper.
DeKalb County Superior Court on line records show that on Friday Terry Sands II of Marion plead guilty to resisting law enforcement, and felony counts of use of a motor vehicle causing death and aggravated battery.
By entering into the plea agreement, charges of murder, operating with a controlled substance resulting in death and resisting law enforcement have been dismissed.
Sands was the driver of a vehicle that was involved in a crash that took the life of Indiana State Police Master Trooper James Bailey on March 3, 2023.
Bailey was assisting other troopers on I-69 with a traffic backup due to a result of weather related vehicle crashes near the 326 mile marker south of Auburn. He was made aware of an individual driving at a high rate of speed and evading an officer from the Fort Wayne Police Department approaching his location.
Bailey put down stop sticks. Witnesses and police videos show Sands driving into the median on I-69 and striking Bailey.
Sands admitted in court that he was driving the vehicle and had been pulled over in Fort Wayne, where he fled from the officer. He also admitted to striking Bailey.
Sentencing is scheduled for February 27. Sands could face between 30 and 46 years in prison.
(07-01-2025) Fremont Police K-9 Officer Rex Getting Body Armor
(07-01-2025) AG Nessel Warns Of Scam Spoofing Her Department
(07-01-2025) Authorities Say Coldwater Lake Man Competent To Stand Trial
(07-01-2025) Trine Receives Donations For Pellegrino Student Design Center
(06-30-2025) Two Vehicle Accident Injures One Person
(06-30-2025) Musser Announces Candidacy For Steuben Co. Superior Judge
(06-28-2025) Wortz Bill Would Cover Group Prenatal Care
(06-28-2025) May Unemployment Rates Increase Around Southern Michigan
(06-27-2025) Northeast Indiana Unemployment Goes Up In May
(06-27-2025) Authorities Say Keith Arrested In Colorado
(06-27-2025) Elkhart Man Charged With Killing Sex Offender
(06-27-2025) John Denny Hired As Quincy Superintendent
(06-27-2025) Coldwater Man Convicted On Sexual Assault Charges
(06-28-2025) LaGrange Native Honored for 25 Years With ISP
(06-24-2025) Indiana Agrees To Allow Tolls On Interstate Highways
(06-24-2025) Trine, Angola Partner On New Multipurpose Trail
(06-24-2025) Full Day At Steuben County 4-H Fair
(06-23-2025) Steuben County Authorities Looking For Fugitive Sex Offender
(06-23-2025) Man Who Opened Fire Outside Church Fatally Shot
(06-23-2025) Elkhart Man Killed In Crash