Court documents give insight on moments before state trooper’s death
PLAINFIELD, Ind. (WISH) — Court documents describe the moments that led up to Indiana State Trooper Aaron Smith’s death during a vehicle pursuit in Hendricks County last week.
18-year-old Eddie Jones Jr., of Missouri, was charged on Monday with murder, resisting law enforcement, and felony auto theft. He was driving a stolen vehicle.
19-year-old Demareon Curry was in the car and is charged with felony auto theft and resisting law enforcement.
A missing 15-year-old girl from Missouri was also in the car and was turned over to Missouri police and will not face criminal charges.
According to a probable cause affidavit, at 10:02 p.m. on Wednesday, state police were told a trooper had been struck and killed by a vehicle fleeing near the intersection of Ronald Reagan Parkway and Interstate 70.
Upon their arrival, state police spoke to the trooper who had originally interacted with the three people in the vehicle. They used the trooper’s computer to watch dash camera footage from their interaction.
The footage shows the trooper receiving notification that the vehicle was stolen. He located the car parked at an Indianapolis McDonalds and pulled in behind it.
The trooper then activated his emergency lights and told the three to put their hands out of the car while he waited for additional troopers to arrive. All three complied for several minutes.
Before backup arrived, Jones backed into the trooper’s car and then fled the scene.
The trooper notified other law enforcement in the area as the vehicle pursuit began.
Smith positioned his state police car on the ramp from Ronald Reagan Parkway to westbound I-70 with his emergency lights on. He then went to the back of his car to get stop sticks.
An Indiana Department of Transportation video shows Smith throwing the stop sticks as he is struck by the fleeing car.
He died from his injuries at the scene.
Following the crash, state troopers ordered everyone in the vehicle to get out. All three people in the car were taken to local hospitals and the 15-year-old girl spoke to police.
She told police the three of them had decided to flee the McDonalds while their hands were out of the window.
“Do what you gotta do man,” the girl said to police.
She also said the three of them saw Smith before striking him.
Two days later, police interviewed Jones. He told police they came to Indiana to visit a friend in Bloomington and they were delivering food using DoorDash to earn money. They were picking up an order from McDonalds when the state trooper located them.
Jones and Curry appeared in court Monday. Jones was sent to the Hendricks County Jail while he awaits trial.
Smith’s funeral is set for 11 a.m. Friday at Emmanuel Church in Greenwood.
Previous Coverage
- Indiana state trooper dies after being struck during police vehicle chase
- State police: Trooper killed was ‘one of the best’
- Whiteland football head coach: Fallen trooper was a model player and person
- Community to gather and honor Indiana State Trooper Aaron Smith
- Franklin to honor Trooper Aaron Smith at firecracker festival
- VIDEO: Indiana State Trooper hit by car during police chase, from News 8 at 10:30 p.m.
- 2 formally charged in death of Indiana State Trooper Aaron Smith
