SHELBYVILLE, Ind. — An Indianapolis man who pleaded guilty to driving drunk and crashing into the back of a state trooper’s vehicle will serve no time behind bars and instead be placed on probation after the injured trooper testified on the man’s behalf.
On Thursday, Mason Durrett, 23, pleaded guilty to one count of causing serious bodily injury while operating a vehicle while intoxicated, a Level 5 felony. He was sentenced to three years with all the time suspended to probation.
As part of his three year stint on probation, Durrett will have to serve one year of home detention.
According to Shelby County Prosecutor Brad Landwerlen, the prosecution originally requested that Durrett serve two years in prison — followed by one year on probation — due to his actions causing the state trooper serious injury.
The injured trooper reportedly asked for leniency, however, and requested the three year probation sentence instead of jail time. The trooper reportedly said he’d hate to see Durrett go to prison considering his age and the impact it would have on his life.
Previous reports detail that Durrett collided into the back of the state trooper’s cruiser on June 18, 2021. The trooper had been assisting in a construction zone on I-74 near Shelbyville and Durrett reportedly plowed through several orange barrels that signaled the lane’s closure before crashing into the rear-end of the police cruiser.
The trooper suffered serious injuries as a result of the collision but was still able to get out of his vehicle and radio for help.
