INDIANAPOLIS โ A man, who was shot by officers in February after ramming police cars, was arrested Friday for crashing into an IMPD car.
It happened on the southeast side of Indianapolis, and police said 43-year-old George Leachman was driving a stolen truck.
Police said they tried to stop Leachman near East Naomi Street and Lawton Avenue, which is near Shelby Street and Walker Avenue. Police claim he was driving a truck with a plate that expired in 2015. After originally stopping for an officer, police said Leachman rammed the officer's car multiple times and took off.
The officer was able to go after Leachman, despite the damage to his car, and said Leachman backed the truck up and hit the officer's car again. The truck then came to a stop near Cottage Avenue and Asbury Street, and police arrested Leachman.
The officer, whose care was hit, was not injured.
Leachman was arrested for battery of a law enforcement officer and resisting arrest.
โIt is with great frustration and concern that I address the weekend release of Mr. Leachman on bond," Chief Randal Taylor said. "Leachman has proven time and time again that he has no regard for the law, and should not have the ability to put our officers or the general public in any more danger. The fact that this individual has allegedly rammed multiple police cars, placing officers at risk of serious bodily harm or death, on separate incidents is absolutely unacceptable.โ
Taylor went on to say, "Thankfully, no one was injured in this latest incident, but his release raises serious concerns for the safety of our officers and the community.โ
13News received a statement from Marion Superior Court about the release. It said a $45,000 bond was set, but a "clerical error" led to it being a $4,500 bond, which Leachman paid on Nov. 4. The court said it became aware of the error Monday and is working to address it.
Indiana State Police Supt. Doug Carter took exception that Leachman, with his record and the amount of times he had tried to ram police officers' cars, was offered bond at all.
"This guy had no business on the street," Carter said. "If he's out on bond and he got re-arrested, he should not have had a bond because he violated the first bond."
IMPD sent a release Monday saying the Marion County Sheriff's Office had tracked down and arrested Leachman.
In the latest incident, Leachman is charged with resisting law enforcement; criminal recklessness with a deadly weapon and criminal mischief. Prosecutors are seeking an additional charge of Leachman being a habitual offender.
Leachman was previously arrested in February after he rammed multiple officers' cars. The incident led to officers shooting Leachman.
He was charged with several counts of battery with bodily injury to a law enforcement officer and resisting law enforcement.
IMPD later released bodycam video of the events leading up to that shooting.
In 2017, Leachman was arrested after reportedly striking three police cars during a vehicle pursuit and injuring two officers. In 2018, he was arrested for reportedly driving over an IMPD police car being driven by an officer.
In 2023 alone, IMPD said Leachman caused more than $67,000 in damages to police cars.
Leachman is supposed to have a change of plea hearing Nov. 21 for the February incident, which led to him being shot.
"This is yet another anecdotal example of why there should be oversight of the system itself," Carter said. "Everyone has got to acknowledge that what we're doing is not working. What's happening is not working."