Indy man facing 7 charges in auto theft, fleeing case

Stanford

An Indianapolis man is facing seven preliminary charges after reportedly stealing a woman’s vehicle and attempting to flee from law enforcement.

At approximately 11:20 a.m. Sunday, Officer Darrel Bunten was leaving the Greencastle Police Department (GPD), when he observed a female running frantically toward him from the Phillips 66 station, aka the Greencastle Mini Mart, which is located across North

Jackson Street from GPD.

The female, Makayla Hampton of Greencastle, informed Officer Bunten that her vehicle, a maroon 2008 Chevrolet Equinox, had just been stolen.

Bunten immediately informed K-9 Officer Kyle Lee, Capt. Chris Jones and other local law enforcement agencies about the stolen vehicle in an attempt to set up a perimeter.

Officer Bunten was able to locate the maroon SUV on Jackson Street, south of the bowling alley, and attempted to conduct a traffic stop on the stolen vehicle. The driver, however, reportedly took off at a high rate of speed, fleeing from Officer Bunten.

Bunten pursued the SUV until the driver lost control on County Road 300 South. The driver then exited the vehicle and fled on foot.

With a perimeter quickly set up, GPD Officer Kyle Lee and K-9 Cain were able to track the suspect, locating him in the wood line.

The suspect reportedly gave officers his name as Randall Stanford initially, but Officer Bunten believed that the suspect was providing false identification.

Bunten was able to determine that the suspect’s real name was Shawn Michael Stanford, 33, Indianapolis.

Stanford was booked in at the Putnam County Jail on preliminary charges of auto theft, theft (for reportedly taking money from the woman’s wallet in the vehicle), driving with a suspended license with a prior offense, two counts of resisting law enforcement (one each for the vehicle and on foot) and false informing.

Assisting officers in the arrest were Indiana Excise Officer Jerrod Baugh, Deputy Matt Biggs and Deputy Robert Soilleux.