VIGO COUNTY, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) — A man who police said caused a crash during a pursuit resulting in serious injuries to an innocent third party will reportedly be changing his plea to guilty after appearing in Vigo County Superior Court.
35-year-old Richard Hoke appeared in Vigo County Superior Court 1 on Monday. Initially supposed to be the start of a jury trial, however on December 1, the defense submitted a motion to vacate the trial as an agreement had been reached to plead guilty.
No details of the plea agreement were readily available as of the time of writing this article.
Judge Charles Johnson accepted the motion to vacate the trial on Monday, ordering a pre-sentence investigation be completed by the probation department ahead of the scheduled February change of plea hearing.
What police say happened
A probable cause affidavit filed in the case shows that the charges stem from the events of May 1, 2023. Police said that they attempted to stop Hoke’s mini-van as it had been seen driving erratically and at high speeds out of an alleyway near Dean Avenue.
Hoke reportedly refused to stop and led police on a chase at speeds of up to 90 mph. As the van approached the intersection of Ohio Street and N. 25th Street, Hoke reportedly ignored the red light and struck a pickup truck that had the right of way.
The crash resulted in both Hoke and the driver of the pickup truck to be trapped in their vehicles. Both were flown from the scene to Indianapolis for treatment of injuries.
An investigating detective notes the severe degree of injuries that were suffered by the other man;
“Affiant learned from [Name redacted], the wife of [The injured man], that he sustained significant injuries, including a lacerated liver, lacerated spleen, his diaphragm was torn from the wall, he has broken all of his ribs, multiple stress fractures in his back, a punctured lung, a bruised pancreas, heart damage, he has had multiple strokes and has a traumatic brain injury.”
Probable Cause Affidavit filed in Vigo County Court
Further investigation showed that Hoke was driving with a suspended drivers license as well. Court records show that Hoke has been charged with the following;
- Resisting law enforcement (use of vehicle causes death or serious bodily injury)
- A level 3 felony
- Resisting law enforcement (defendant uses vehicle causes serious bodily injury)
- A level 5 felony
- Resisting law enforcement (defendant uses vehicle)
- A level 6 felony
- No operators license in possession
- Infraction
As a result of Monday’s court proceedings, Hoke will next be due for a change of plea and sentencing hearing at 9 a.m. on February 8, 2024.
