Woman says wrong-way driver fleeing police on I-70 nearly hit her before crashing downtown
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — While crews worked to clean up downtown streets, Dai-yja McCurty sat in her car, afraid to continue driving.
McCurty said she was on her way to Terre Haute from Indianapolis on Sunday night to make it to her morning class at Indiana State University. She was on Interstate 70 when she saw cars ahead of her slowing down.
Seconds later, she said saw the lights in front of her turn from red to white, as a truck came close to crashing into her.
“It took me like a couple seconds to realize what was going on because I’m like OK, I’m cruising and then I see headlights coming toward me, so I slow down and see it right in front of me and it’s coming toward me very fast, and I swerve out of the way and as I’m swerving, I see a cop car, too, like chasing them,” said McCurty.
IMPD said when the driver began going the wrong way, the supervisor called off the chase.
An Indianapolis Metropolitan Police spokesperson told News 8, “An officer who was on the interstate already continued a short distance until being able to safely get turned around. No officers were pursuing the suspect vehicle when the suspect got off the interstate or when it crashed into any vehicles downtown. As with all vehicle pursuits, this pursuit will be reviewed to ensure compliance with department policies. If any violations of department policy are found, the officer(s) will be subject to internal administrative action including discipline.”
“It wasn’t like, oh I saw it from a distance, like no — like, I almost lost my life,” said McCurty.
Police have identified the driver as Clint Adams. They said he exited I-70 on West Street. That’s when officers believe he drove east on South Street, hit two vehicles and left two people trapped.
He also had a passenger, Amanda Watts, with him in the truck. Police said the truck has been used in other trailer thefts.
“All those people’s lives, all those innocent people’s lives were put in jeopardy. We could have all lost our lives last night,” said McCurty.
Both Adams and Watts were taken into custody.
Police said an off-duty Southport police officer and his wife were among the people injured in the crash. The officer’s wife was trapped in one of the vehicles and had to be cut out of it.
