Peru – Thursday, at approximately 11:30 p.m., Indiana State Trooper Steven Glass and officers from the Miami County Sheriff’s Department initiated a traffic stop on a 2010 Chevrolet Impala and silver Ford Mustang on U.S. 24 near Paw Pike, in Miami County. Trooper Glass had clocked, with radar, both vehicles traveling 111 miles per hour in a 60 mile per hour zone.
When officers activated the emergency lighting on their police vehicles to make traffic stops on the Impala and the Mustang; the Impala, driven by Stephen Ledgerwood, 25, North Webster, IN, pulled over. Trooper Glass stopped with the Impala. The driver of the Mustang did not stop and led officers from the Miami County Sheriff’s Department on a pursuit. Due to reckless manner in which the Mustang was being driven and the fact that the initial stopping charge was a traffic infraction, officers terminated the pursuit.
Further investigation revealed that Ledgerwood was allegedly racing the driver of the Mustang. Trooper Glass also obtained probable cause that Ledgerwood was driving while under the influence of a narcotic. The Impala had a fictitious license plate which had been reported as stolen from Elkhart, IN. Ledgerwood was purportedly not able to provide information on the ownership of the Impala, nor how he obtained possession of the vehicle.
Ledgerwood was incarcerated at the Miami County Jail. He is facing criminal charges for operating a vehicle while intoxicated (narcotic), participating in a speed contest, and auto theft.
This is an ongoing investigation. If anyone has information on the driver of the silver Mustang, they are encouraged to contact the Miami County Sheriff’s Department at 765-472-1322.
All criminal defendants are to be presumed innocent until, and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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