UPDATE (Oct. 20, 2021): Marcel Carter was found guilty on multiple counts, although two charges were vacated due to double jeopardy. He was sentenced to more than 12 years.

UPDATE (December 31, 2019): Marcel Laray Carter, 24, is now in police custody at an area hospital and faces preliminary charges of reckless homicide and resisting law enforcement.

Original Story (December 30, 2019):

LAWRENCE, Ind. — One person is dead and another is injured after a high-speed police pursuit ended in a crash in Lawrence, near McCordsville, around 1 p.m. Monday.

The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department said a suspect was being pursued on a weapons violation, and allegedly led police on a chase from Marion County into Hancock County, then back into Marion County.

“They saw someone in the area they were looking get out into a car, and [officers in their vehicle] got in behind the car,“ said IMPD Officer Mike Hewitt talking about Crime Gun Intelligence Center detectives, “They attempted to pull the car over, the car initially stopped, and eventually took off, and began to elude police.”

Police said they lost the suspect after the pursuit carried into Hancock County, but the suspect continued driving at a high rate of speed. Law enforcement in Hancock County later found the suspect on the road and tried to pursue, but the suspect was able to elude them as well.

According to police, the suspect ran a red light at the intersection of Oaklandon Rd. and Pendleton Pike and struck two unrelated vehicles.

The driver of one of the struck vehicles, Charles Alexander, 64, was killed in the crash. His passenger was taken to the hospital with injuries, but that person is expected to survive.

Police say while they were indeed looking for the suspect’s vehicle, no IMPD officer was actively in pursuit of the vehicle at the time of the crash.

The suspect is in custody, but their identity has not yet been released. The identity of the deceased has not yet been released either.