Tippecanoe County – Late yesterday (2/18/2026) evening, an Indiana State Police trooper initiated a pursuit with a sport bike, resulting in a 36-year-old Redford, Michigan man being apprehended and jailed.
At approximately 9:46 p.m., Indiana State Police were notified by the Boone County Communications Center of a reckless driving sport bike traveling northbound on Interstate 65.
Shortly after being notified, Trooper Devin Farmer observed the sport bike, a 2014 Suzuki GSX-R1000, traveling northbound at 110 mph near the 169mm, and attempted to conduct a traffic stop after the bike exited onto State Road 26 at the 172mm. The operator of the bike, Damian Martin, pulled into a parking lot just west of I-65, as if he were going to stop. As soon as Trooper Farmer went to exit his police car, Martin decided to flee and a pursuit was initiated.
The pursuit entered southbound I-65 and exited and re-entered I-65 at the 168mm (SR-38), and then the 158mm (SR-28), where it went back northbound. Troopers pursued the bike at high speeds, before it exited again at the 172mm and went back southbound. The pursuit continued on I-65 to the southbound rest area near the 150mm, where Martin parked the bike between two semi-trailers and attempted to hide under one of them. Troopers quickly located Martin, and he was taken into custody. Martin was transported to IU Arnett Hospital in Lafayette for a chemical test, before being transported to and lodged in the Tippecanoe County Jail.
Martin was cited for several traffic infractions and arrested on the following charges:
- Resisting Law Enforcement, Level 6 Felony
- Resisting Law Enforcement, Creates a Substantial Risk of Injury, Level 6 Felony
- Criminal Recklessness (Aggressive Driving), Level 6 Felony
- Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated, Class C Misdemeanor
- Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated – Endangerment, Class A Misdemeanor
- Controlled Substance – Possession Schedule 1, Class C Misdemeanor
Trooper Farmer was assisted by other troopers from the Lafayette Post, Boone County Sheriff's Office, Lebanon Police Department, Tippecanoe County Sheriff's Office, and Paddack's Wrecker Service.
All suspects are presumed innocent unless or until proven guilty in a court of law.