Docs: Man previously convicted of OWI causing death arrested after striking IMPD officer’s car

INDIANAPOLIS — A man who was previously sentenced for an OWI crash that killed an 18-year-old is facing new preliminary charges after allegedly driving under the influence in Marion County.

According to court documents obtained by FOX59/CBS4, 38-year-old Jordan Platt is facing the following preliminary charges:

• Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated (Level 5 Felony)
• Operating a Vehicle while Intoxicated Endangering a Person (Class A Misdemeanor)
• Two counts of Leaving the Scene of an Accident (Class A Misdemeanor)

These charges stem from an investigation that was launched on May 26, when Platt allegedly struck a fully marked IMPD patrol vehicle near Emerson Avenue and Shelbyville Road. Court documents reveal that Platt allegedly took his blue Geo Prizm too wide while attempting to turn onto Shelbyville Road, striking the police vehicle’s rear wheel.

The impact of the collision caused damage to the police vehicle’s wheel and chipped off paint, court documents said. One officer reportedly experienced pain and tingling in his left arm and hand. Another complained of neck pain.

According to court documents, Platt did not stop to check on the officers or exchange information. Instead, he allegedly continued driving southeast on Shelbyville Road until the officers eventually caught up to Platt near the intersection of Wagon Wheel Trail and Brazos Drive.

When they approached his vehicle, court documents said Platt’s head was “slumped forward” and that he began confessing to the mistake, saying he “messed up” and that he “had been drinking.”

Another officer then arrived to launch a DUI investigation. This officer observed Platt displaying “glassy bloodshot eyes” and noticed the “scent of alcoholic beverages” coming from his breath. Officers then seized a bottle of Fireball whiskey from the left cargo pocket inside the vehicle.

The officers then had Platt participate in a standard sobriety field test, which he later failed to complete. Platt was then transported to Eskenazi Hospital for a blood draw to determine what his blood alcohol level was.

Previous OWI conviction

This was not the first time that Platt was involved in an OWI incident. On Oct. 2, 2010, deputies with the Hendricks County Sheriff’s Department responded to the scene of a crash near the 4300 block of County Road 200 E. One of the residents reported to dispatch that they had gone to the scene to assist. When they arrived, they observed a 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix that had lost control, slid into a ditch, and came to a halt in a yard.

The resident said he met and spoke with a 17-year-old girl who identified herself as the passenger. She said there was nobody else inside the vehicle except for her friend, identified as Kayley Mathers, who was pronounced dead on the scene.

Deputies approached Mathers’ body, determining that she was ejected from the vehicle during the crash.

As deputies continued to investigate, they spoke with Platt to learn his version of what transpired. Platt, who deputies noted had blood on his shirt, advised that he was driving about 85 mph. Court documents show that Platt admitted that he had been drinking beer that evening and was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash.

Investigators later learned that the car Platt was operating was heading northbound when it exited the roadway. It then struck a tree and rolled over before coming to a stop in a yard. They determined that Platt was the driver in the crash, which also left the 17-year-old passenger injured.

Deputies noted that the vehicle had sustained “extensive” damage to its front and passenger sides. As the investigation developed, a deputy downloaded data from the vehicle’s airbag control module. This indicated that five seconds before the impact, Platt was driving the vehicle at 106 mph. One second before impact, the vehicle was travelling at 103 mph.

Deputies then took blood samples from Platt, which returned a positive test for cannabinoids.

Online court records out of Hendricks Superior Court 2 indicate that Platt was sentenced to 20 years with a jail credit of just over 1,000 days and five years suspended after pleading guilty to causing death when operating a vehicle with a Schedule 1 or 11 controlled substance.

In exchange, the state dismissed other charges that were pending against him at the time, including reckless homicide, operating a vehicle while intoxicated and speeding.

Next steps

Platt is scheduled to appear in a jury trial on Nov. 13 at 8:30 a.m. in Marion Superior Court 21. He will be held for pre-trial home detention and GPS until the trial gets underway.