4/17/21 Anderson, IN – Stolen Car Suspect – Scuffle With Trooper – Steals Indiana State Police Car – 140 MPH Pursuit – Patrol Car Crashes Into Semi-Truck – Totaled

April 17, 2021

www.wthr.com

A Texas man stole a trooper’s patrol car on Saturday afternoon and crashed it in Anderson after leading officers in a pursuit.

Sgt. Coley McCutcheon said traffic cameras caught Phillip Lane Hurley Jr. looking into an abandoned car at around 2:45 p.m. that was on the side of Interstate 69.

A trooper went to see what the suspect was doing and ended up chasing Hurley on foot and tazing him.

When the trooper tried to arrest Hurley, McCutcheon said the trooper and the suspect got into a “scuffle.” Then Hurley got up and stole the trooper’s car.

The suspect led officers in a pursuit on I-69. He exited the highway then got back onto the highway three separate times and at speeds of up to 140 mph. Hurley exited the highway a fourth time and drove through a traffic light on 53rd Street and Scatterfield Road in Anderson.

McCutcheon said when the suspect drove through the light he crashed into a car and a semi-truck.

According to McCutcheon, this is when Hurley got out of the trooper’s car, ran to a nearby McDonald’s parking lot and tried to steal two other cars. He kept running and was caught by Anderson officers behind a nearby Applebee’s.

Hurley was taken to a local hospital to be evaluated for injuries from the crash and to be cleared to go to jail. No other substantial injuries have been reported.

Police have learned the car Hurley was originally driving had been stolen near Effingham, Illinois. Hurley also has a warrant out on him from Texas for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.