Father says son needs help, not jail

Apr. 23—ANDERSON — Phillip Lane Hurley Sr. said he is not sure why his son suddenly left Texas, but he is aware of his son's arrest.

"He doesn't need to be in jail, he needs some help — addiction help," the father said.

Phillip Lane Hurley Jr., 30, was charged on Thursday with Level 3 felony robbery resulting in bodily injury, Level 4 felony escape while escaping, defendant inflicts bodily injury on someone, Level 5 felony battery with bodily injury to a public safety officer, Level 5 felony robbery — taking property from another by use of or threatening use of force, Level 5 felony disarming a law enforcement officer, Level 6 felony resisting law enforcement, Level 6 felony theft of entire automobile, Class A misdemeanor resisting law enforcement, Class B misdemeanor reckless driving causes property damage and Class B misdemeanor leaving the scene of an accident, driver fails to immediately stop at the scene.

Video footage from traffic cameras and business surveillance, provided by Madison County Prosecutor Rodney Cummings, shows Phillip Hurley Jr. sitting in a passenger seat of a black truck on Interstate 69 when he is approached by Indiana State Trooper Johnathan Troyer around 3 p.m. Saturday.

Hurley steps out of the vehicle and walks back to talk with Troyer briefly before he turns and dashes into oncoming traffic. Troyer chases Hurley into traffic and the two men double back to the side of the road where the police car and truck are parked.

Troyer fires a taser at Hurley striking him in the back. Hurley falls to his back for a few seconds before he rolls to his stomach and the trooper begins to handcuff him. That's when Hurley jumps up and the two men begin to struggle.

Hurley can be seen pinning Troyer to the ground and holding him there as a second police car pulls up behind the vehicles. Hurley looks up and lets Troyer go before running over to the driver's side of the police car and jumping inside.

Troyer jumps up onto the hood of the police car as Hurley drives away. The trooper then slides off the hood as Hurley drives into traffic. A police chase ensues, with speeds reaching up to 140 mph, according to police records, until Hurley exits the interstate to Scatterfield Road and collides with two vehicles at an intersection.

Additional surveillance video shows Hurley attempting to get into vehicles lined up in a drive-thru at McDonald's.

Phillip Hurley Sr. said he hoped to talk to his son Thursday night. He said his son is a mechanic in Katy, Texas, and at one point was in a relationship with a woman living in Anderson.

He said his son served six months in a state jail for a drug charge and he is wanted on two aggravated assault charges out of Texas, but his behavior lately is due to drug use. Phillip Hurley Sr. said his son has video footage proving he is innocent of the assault charges filed in Texas.

"He's a yes sir, no sir, kind of person," said Phillip Hurley Sr., who said he is obtaining a doctorate in ministry and provides free counseling to those in need. "But he has gotten involved in drugs again and he is making bad choices. When addiction sets in, it steals your brain and your thoughts just like Satan."

Follow Traci L. Miller @_TraciMiller on Twitter, email her at traci.miller@heraldbulletin.com, or call her at 765-640-4805.