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Crash, pursuit closes I-65 on Indy's northwest side

INDOT confirms the southbound lanes of I-65 were closed near West 38th Street after a report of a pursuit and crash.

INDIANAPOLIS — Traffic on the northwest side of Indianapolis is moving again after police activity on Interstate 65 snarled movement in all lanes for nearly two hours.

Traffic cameras in the area showed police cars stopped behind a vehicle in the southbound lanes of I-65 south of Lafayette Road.

Credit: WTHR
A portion of Interstate 65 was closed Friday evening on the northwest side of Indianapolis due to police activity.

An Indiana State Police spokesperson said an Indianapolis woman was arrested after leading police on a vehicle pursuit.

According to police, it started when officers were called to investigate a minor rear-end crash on I-65 near the Boone-Hendricks county line. Before officers could arrive, the driver of a tan Nissan Altima fled the crash scene and went south on I-65. 

Officers found the car still on the highway near Lafayette Road a short time later. Police said the driver refused to stop for a trooper and continued driving at a slow speed. The driver struck a concrete median barrier twice, which caused the car to become inoperable just south of Lafayette Road. 

ISP said the woman wouldn't exit the vehicle when ordered to do so. All lanes of the highway were closed as a SWAT team came to assist during the stand-off. 

Police said the woman emerged from the vehicle at 8:23 p.m. Police said she was taken to a hospital to be checked for injuries, since she was involved in earlier crashes.

According to ISP, Natash Townsley, 37, was arrested on preliminary charges of resisting law enforcement and operating a vehicle while intoxicated.

Credit: WTHR
A portion of Interstate 65 was closed Friday evening on the northwest side of Indianapolis due to police activity.

During the standoff, southbound traffic was diverted off of the interstate onto Lafayette Road, and northbound traffic was eventually moved to West 38th Street, according to INDOT.

RELATED: Get live traffic information

Around 8:30 p.m., several lanes of the interstate were reopened to traffic, which began to slowly move through the impacted area. 

All lanes were reopened without restriction by 9 p.m.

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