INDIANAPOLIS — On April 26 and 27, IMPD partnered with the Indiana State Police (ISP) and Beech Grove PD to proactively prevent and hinder spinning and reckless driving efforts across the city.
In total, officers & troopers issued at least 28 traffic citations, made 15 arrests, recovered 6 firearms, and towed at least 5 vehicles
In the early hours of April 27, 2025, officers observed a large number of vehicles in the 4200 block of S. Meridian Street, near Southern Plaza Drive. At one point, officers saw two males, one armed with a handgun and one armed with a rifle, dancing on top of a vehicle. One of the males was observed pointing the firearm towards a crowd of people. As officers moved in, the males, later identified as 18-year-old Selvin Cruz and 19-year-old Erick Sanchez, got into a vehicle. Officers in fully marked police vehicles tried to initiate a traffic stop, but the driver refused to stop and led officers on a short vehicle pursuit. The pursuit ended just over a mile away with a successful Precision Immobilization Technique (PIT) maneuver by IMPD officers.
Cruz and Sanchez fled from the vehicle on foot while two juvenile females who were also in the vehicle were quickly detained by officers. Cruz and Sanchez were located by an ISP helicopter and taken into custody just a few minutes later by officers.
Officers located a rifle on the ground just outside the vehicle, and the handgun officers had observed earlier was located in a yard next to where the males were apprehended.
At the conclusion of the investigation, Sanchez was arrested for pointing a loaded firearm, unlawful carrying of a handgun, and resisting law enforcement. Cruz was arrested for resisting law enforcement.
In a separate incident, officers observed a Ford F150 do a burnout and followed the truck at a distance. Officers witnessed the truck crash into two uninvolved parked cars in the 200 block of Villa Ave, bringing the truck to a stop. When officers approached the driver, later identified as 42-year-old Steve Stanfield, a handgun was observed in his possession. Stanfield was confirmed to be a serious violent felon due to previous convictions, making it illegal for him to possess a firearm.
In a third case, officers conducted a traffic stop after witnessing two vehicles drag racing down US 31. The driver was issued a citation, and the car was towed.
Ananda Kannappan, M.D.