Traffic stop turns violent on I-65

05:47 PM EDT on Monday, June 19, 2006

Isidro Garcia, 35, is out of a Louisville hospital and at Metro Corrections following a bizarre chain of events that left him with a gunshot wound to the pelvis.

“Isidro decided to get into a physical altercation with Officer D’angelo,” says Sgt. Jerry Goodin of Indiana State Police. “They wrestled around and Isidro attempted to grab Trooper D’angelo’s gun.”

Trooper Phil D’angelo shot at Garcia twice on Interstate 65. It happened after police say Garcia hit a semi on 65 in Clark County and left the scene.

Trooper D’angelo pulled him over a few miles down the road. Garcia had a 1-year-old and two women in the car with him. Police say he was impaired.

The shooting happened Saturday night at mile marker 30 on interstate 65. The trooper and the suspect got into a struggle. There isn't much space on the shoulder and police say that was part of the problem.

“Here you are, trying to make sure that he doesn't get your weapon, make sure that semi down the road at 70 mph doesn't run over you, it makes it a very tough situation,” says Goodin.

So far police believe the shooting was justified. We talked to Garcia’s friends and family. They seemed to understand why Garcia was shot.

“He didn't want to go jail because he was on house arrest.”

His family says that’s the reason he fought back. Garcia blew a .16 on a Breathalyzer test when Trooper D'angelo pulled him over.

He will soon be extradited back to Scott County for a court appearance.

Web story produced by Jay Ditzer.
http://www.whas11.com/topstories/sto....a11cefc2.html
Once again only part of this story made it into print. This guy hit the semi hard enough to deploy air bags in the car and then ran 16 miles before he was pulled over. WLKY TV interviewed the IN State Police spokesperson who stated that Garcia had no driver license or SS card and they would be checking if he was a legal resident. He also noted this was the second arrest for Garcia on DUI.

We have a trauma center ER in Louisville KY, so we get to provide the medical care and lock up for this guy.