Indiana police officer strikes and kills late-night skateboarder with patrol car

David K. Li and Kimberly Flores Gaynor
Updated ·1 min read

An Indiana police officer, behind the wheel of his patrol car, struck and killed a 22-year-old skateboarder in the middle of the night, authorities said Monday.

Dylan Stinson died in the crash that happened around 2:07 a.m. Sunday in Alexandria, which is about 55 miles northeast of downtown Indianapolis, officials said.

Officer Zachary Taylor, 31, was placed on administrative leave, pending an investigation by the Madison County Sheriff's Office as is standard procedure, police said.

"Our prayers are for the family of the victim, as well as for our officer in this terrible accident," according to an Alexandria police statement.

Taylor was on his regular patrol, driving south on State Road 9 when he hit Stinson, Alexandria Police Chief Terry Richwine told NBC News on Monday. That stretch of road is typically very dark during overnight hours, with a row of businesses on one side of the street and a cemetery on the other, the chief added.

Richwine said it's not clear why Stinson was skateboarding at that unusual hour: "I have no judgment on that."

Taylor and a union representative for the officer couldn't be immediately reached for comment Monday. The officer joined the Alexandria Police Department just two weeks ago from another nearby agency, according to Richwine.