NORTH VERNON, Ind. – The Jennings County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO) tried to conduct a traffic stop on a motorcycle with no license plate in the area of Casey’s gas station on State Road 7 early last Saturday morning.
When deputies activated their emergency lights, the driver of the motorcycle accelerated north on S.R. 7 reaching speeds of up to 100 mph. Deputies pursued but due to concerns for the public’s safety, the chase was terminated in the area of the main gate of Country Squire Lakes.
A short time later, JCSO received a report of a motorcycle accident at the intersection of Country Manor and Country Squire Boulevard.
When deputies arrived, the motorcycle was gone and Zachary Hamblen was found lying on the ground. The man told police that he had a bicycle wreck and his mom came and picked up the bike.
Witnesses said that after the accident the passenger pushed the motorcycle away from the scene. Deputies located it about 100 yards away in a grassy area. They found the other man, Kaleb C. Root, hiding behind a tree. A jacket near the scene allegedly contained 3.5 grams of heroin/fentanyl.
Root was arrested for obstruction of justice and assisting a criminal. Hamblen was charged with resisting law enforcement, and possession of a narcotic drug.