Muncie PD: Wanted man was delivering for DoorDash before highspeed police chase

MUNCIE, Ind. — A Muncie man out on bond for a Level 1 felony was spotted DoorDash-ing with his pregnant girlfriend despite having a warrant for his arrest due to skipping out on a court hearing.

According to court documents, on Sept. 15, 24-year-old Austin Lee Hinds fled from police at a high rate of speed once an officer caught up with him at an O’Reilly Auto Parts in Muncie. Despite having his pregnant girlfriend in the vehicle, Hinds is accused of driving at 100+ mph speeds and blowing through stop signs as he fled from police.

Hinds eventually crashed the vehicle after the Muncie police officer broke off the chase, according to court documents. Hinds’ vehicle was found wrecked in the woods near Morrison and 500 North near the Cardinal Greenway.

According to documents, Hinds’ girlfriend was at the scene of the crash, but Hinds wasn’t. She told police the crashed vehicle was actually her car and that she did not have insurance. The officer noted in his report that the girlfriend could be heard yelling at Hinds not to drive away when police first pulled up behind the vehicle at O’Reilly.

Court documents included no mention of the girlfriend being injured in the crash.

Police didn’t track down Hinds until 15 days after the crash. A tip led Muncie police officers to a home on South High Street on Sept. 30, where Hinds was found trying to hide in a corner next to a sofa. He’d reportedly piled up items in front of him in an attempt to conceal himself.

Police reported that Hinds “appeared to be under the influence of something and was not cooperative.” Officers ultimately deployed a stun gun to subdue and detain him.

Hinds’ warrant stems from a 2024 criminal case in which he is accused of supplying drugs that led to the overdose death of 43-year-old Bradley Pajari. Hinds bonded out of jail in November 2024 but failed to appear at his Sept. 15 court hearing.

Hinds’ flight from police could land him additional charges of resisting arrest using a vehicle, reckless driving and leaving the scene of the accident.