Drunk Maryland Man Driving 130 MPH Leads Police on Chase from South of Bloomington to Martinsville; Ghost Gun Found in Car

Staff report

MARTINSVILLE, Ind. — August 11, 2025

A Maryland man is facing multiple charges after Indiana State Police say he led troopers on a high-speed chase at more than 130 mph while drunk and in possession of a ghost gun, nearly causing a crash before being stopped with tire deflation devices.

According to court documents, 25-year-old Brandon D. Stewart, of Beltsville, Maryland, was spotted around 10:49 p.m. Aug. 6 speeding north on State Road 37 in Monroe County. The Indiana State Police said in a court document, Stewart’s gray Infiniti passed him at more than 100 mph in a 60 mph zone and accelerated after the trooper activated his emergency lights and siren.

“While conducting a traffic stop on SR37 south of Ingram Road, Monroe County, IN, I observed a gray passenger car with a large white sticker on the back windshield pass me at a high rate of speed. I estimated the vehicle passed by at over 100mph in a posted 60mph zone. I returned to my commission to catch up to the vehicle I observed at a high rate of speed,” said the ISP.

The Indiana State Police trooper caught up to the vehicle around Smithville Road, but the driver was going at least 125 mph while approaching the intersection of Old Ind. State Road 37, and Indiana State Road 37.

The chase continued through a 45 mph construction zone at about 100 mph, then north onto I-69, where speeds topped 130 mph. At one point near the 128 mile marker, Crane said Stewart almost rear-ended another car.

“Once on I69, the vehicle continued to flee northbound with speeds of over 120mph. While
continuing northbound, Trooper Azariah Keith attempted to deploy stop sticks north of the
120MM; however, the stop stick deployment was ineffective. The vehicle continued to flee north
on I69 at speeds over 130mph,” said the ISP.

The chase continued through Bloomington and toward Martinsville.

“I was able to get directly behind the vehicle again at the 128MM (mile marker) when I observed the fleeing vehicle almost rear-end another passenger car in the right lane. Once into Morgan County, IN, the vehicle continued to flee north on I69 until it reached the 134 Exit for Liberty Church Road. The fleeing vehicle exited the interstate and then immediately returned to the interstate via the 134 Exit. Once back on the interstate, the vehicle continued to flee northbound, again reaching speeds over 120mph,” wrote the ISP trooper.

Troopers attempted to use stop sticks twice before Martinsville police successfully deflated the Infiniti’s front tires near the 142 mile marker in Morgan County. Stewart was taken into custody without further incident.

The man told the ISP he was driving from Bedford, Indiana to Maryland.

Police said Stewart showed signs of intoxication, including slurred speech and glassy eyes, and failed multiple field sobriety tests. A certified breath test at the Morgan County Jail measured his blood alcohol concentration at 0.155, nearly twice Indiana’s legal limit.

During the investigation, Stewart allegedly admitted there was a firearm in his car. Police said it was a privately made “ghost gun” without a serial number, which Stewart could not legally possess.

Stewart is charged with:

• Resisting law enforcement with a vehicle, a Level 6 felony
• Operating a vehicle with a BAC of 0.15 or more, a Class A misdemeanor
• Operating a vehicle while intoxicated endangering a person, a Class A misdemeanor
• Operating a vehicle while intoxicated, a Class C misdemeanor
• Reckless driving, a Class C misdemeanor

The pursuit involved multiple law enforcement agencies including the Bloomington Police Department, and Martinsville Police Department.

The post Drunk Maryland Man Driving 130 MPH Leads Police on Chase from South of Bloomington to Martinsville; Ghost Gun Found in Car first appeared on The Bloomingtonian.