Speeding Corvette driver evades police in 2 counties in hours-long pursuit, offers homeowner money to hide car
INDIANAPOLIS – A wanted Georgia man accused of speeding away from police in two Indiana counties, offering cash to a homeowner to hide him and driving his Corvette through a cemetery before taking off on foot is now in police custody.
Jackson McClendon, 29, of Columbus, Georgia, is facing charges of resisting law enforcement with a vehicle and reckless driving, both stemming from an hours-long pursuit that stretched across Indiana's Clay and Vigo counties Friday afternoon.
According to the Indiana State Police, Sgt. Jared Nicoson observed a tan Chevrolet Corvette going 86 mph in a 70-mph zone around 4:15 p.m. on I-70 West, near the 23 mile marker.
After clocking the vehicle's speed, Nicoson pulled onto I-70 in an attempt to stop the Corvette, police said. The Corvette quickly exited the interstate, turning north onto Indiana 59 at a high rate of speed.
The Corvette committed several traffic violations as Nicoson gave chase, police said. Eventually, Nicoson lost sight of the Corvette in Clay County.
A short time later, Nicoson spotted the Corvette speeding south on Indiana 59 before turning west onto Indiana 42. Nicoson once again pursued the vehicle, but the Corvette managed to get away a second time.
After information of the pursuit was relayed to local law enforcement agencies in the area, Vigo County Sheriff’s Deputy Kris Morris saw the tan Corvette.
Like Nicoson, Morris attempted to stop the Corvette, but police said the driver evaded the deputy in eastern Vigo County.
Shortly after Morris’ encounter with the tan Corvette, the Clay County 911 Dispatch Center received a call from a citizen stating that a tan Corvette pulled into her driveway, drove through her yard and parked behind her home.
The citizen told police that a passenger in a the car offered her money if she would help them hide from the police. The citizen refused, called 911 and told the suspects to leave.
Around 6:30 p.m., more than two hours after the Corvette was first spotted, Nicoson pulled into a cemetery near the Clay County/Vigo County line.
Nicoson saw fresh tire tracks in the cemetery grass before discovering the tan Corvette parked under a group of trees.
The passenger, identified as 24-year-old Kdaijah Clifttela Lanier of Phenix City, Alabama, was found near the vehicle and immediately taken into custody.
The driver, identified as McClendon, was found east of the cemetery on foot and taken into custody around 6:45 p.m. by Deputy Jamie Switzer of the Clay County Sheriff’s Department.
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Police said McClendon was wanted in Georgia on charges of aggravated assault against a law enforcement officer, reckless driving and credit card fraud. Lanier was wanted in Alabama on charges of check forgery.
Both suspects were taken into custody and transported to the Clay County Justice Center where they are being held. No one was injured during the pursuit.
Follow Justin L. Mack on Twitter: @justinlmack.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Speeding Corvette driver evades police in 2 counties in hours-long pursuit, offers homeowner money to hide car
