’30-second pursuit’ leads to felony charges for Terre Haute woman

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) — A Terre Haute woman is in custody after what police described in charging documents as a 30-second pursuit.

Morgan G. Colbert, 34, of Terre Haute, faces a felony charge of resisting law enforcement and possession of meth following the events of May 4.

According to a probable cause affidavit, Terre Haute Police attempted to pull over Colbert’s vehicle after witnessing the vehicle disregard a stop sign, and pull into the opposite lane of traffic while turning northbound on 19th Street.

As the officer activated his lights and attempted to follow the vehicle, the driver reportedly sped up further and turned again onto 1st Avenue. When the officer approached 1st he spotted the fleeing vehicle turning onto N. 22nd Street.

Police said the driver, Colbert, tried to exit the vehicle and claim to be a passenger. Police said the vehicle was not in park and the keys were still in the ignition. Police attempted to track down a fleeing driver, but a K-9 officer was unable to find a trace of the mysterious driver.

That and the fact that the officer found Colbert’s purse sitting in the center of the passenger seat led them to believe Colbert had been operating the vehicle.

A search of Colbert’s purse also turned up suspected meth along with Colbert’s Indiana Identification card.

“Colbert was taken to Vigo County Jail by Ofc. Lake where she was left in the custody of jail staff and with her property. Speeds were not called out nor a reason for the stop due to the pursuit being approximately 30 seconds, and I was initially just trying to get caught up to the vehicle,” an officer wrote in the PCA.

Court records show that prosecutors officially charged Colbert with the following;

• Possession of methamphetamine
  • A level 6 felony
• Resisting law enforcement using a vehicle
  • A level 6 felony
• Resisting law enforcement
  • A class A misdemeanor
• Driving while suspended
  • A class A misdemeanor

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