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Suspect backs up over police vehicle and flees traffic stop, taken into custody

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – A man who backed up over a police vehicle while he was attempting to flee a traffic stop has been taken into custody.

According to the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, 39-year-old George Leachman was initially pulled over on Aug. 15, 2018 in reference to a stolen vehicle, which may have been used in a theft.

The responding officer attempted to pull Leachman, who was driving a Ford dually, over and he did comply and pulled over, momentarily.

The responding officer attempted to pull Leachman, who was driving a Ford dually, over and he did comply and pulled over, momentarily.

However, police say a passenger in the vehicle fled the scene on foot and Leachman proceeded to escape the scene in the vehicle, backing up over a police vehicle in the process.

A short time after the incident, the Ford truck was found abandoned a few block away from the scene. Leachman was nowhere to be found. However, the passenger, using surveillance video, was found.

In 2017, Leachman pleaded guilty to and was sentenced for driving a stolen Ford dually and ramming three police vehicles during a pursuit. He was sentenced to three years of community corrections. However, police say Leachman had cut off his GPS anklet and had been at large for months.

On Oct. 1, officers did take Leachman into custody and was transported to Marion County Lockup.

Leachman faces a number of preliminary charges from the August 2018 incident and from his arrest on Oct. 1 including:

  • aggravated battery
  • resist fleeing
  • vandalism
  • auto theft
  • serious violent felon in possession of a handgun
  • auto theft
  • resisting 
  • escape

Additionally, he had warrants in Marion County for domestic battery/fleeing and in Hendricks County for auto theft.

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