JOHNSON COUNTY, Ind. — A pickup truck driver was killed and a Trafalgar Police officer was seriously injured early Saturday morning when they both crashed during a pursuit in Johnson County.
Trafalgar Police Department said Officer Dustin Moody underwent a second surgery on Monday.
Johnson County Sheriff Duane Burgess identified the driver of the truck Monday as 23-year-old Jacob G. Roberts, of Nineveh.
According to Burgess, Moody, was sitting at the intersection of State Road 135 and County Road 300 South shortly before 3:30 a.m. when Roberts, the driver of the dark-colored pickup truck, failed to stop at the intersection and continued to drive west on 300 South.
According to police, Moody followed, activating his emergency lights to attempt to stop the truck. Both Moody and Roberts got to County Road 600 West, where County Road 300 South ends at a "T" intersection.
Neither Roberts nor Moody were able to stop and crashed into an embankment.
Roberts was pronounced dead at the scene by medics. The Johnson County Coroner's Office has completed an autopsy, but toxicology results are pending.
Moody had to be cut out of his vehicle and was flown to Eskenazi Hospital in Indianapolis with back, hip, leg and internal injuries. He was listed in serious but stable condition, the sheriff said Saturday. The Trafalgar Police Department said in an update Sunday that said Moody was in critical condition and required surgery.
After the surgery, the department said it went well, and the doctor said Moody's injury looked better than initially thought, but he still had a long road to recovery. Sheriff Burgess said Monday Moody was in serious condition.
According to Trafalgar PD, Moody is 30 years old, a husband and a father of two young sons.
He has been an officer with the department since 2019, and has been full-time since December 2020.
Small Town Pizza & Sub Co. is raising money for Moody and his family by donating 20% of all sales on Tuesday, June 28 and Wednesday, June 29. The deal is available for carry-out, dine-in and delivery orders.
Small Town Pizza & Sub. Co is located at 106 W. Pearl St. in Trafalgar.
The accident is still under investigation.