Marion Man Dies Following Pursuit

On Sunday, a vehicle pursuit ended with a crash between a motorcycle and a Grant County Sheriff’s Department police car. At the request of the Grant County Sheriff’s Department the Indiana State Police initiated an investigation.

The preliminary crash investigation by Indiana State Police Senior Trooper Jeremy Perez and Senior Trooper A.J. Coffee revealed that last night at approximately 11:30 p.m., a Marion Police officer attempted to initiate a traffic stop on a 1976 Kawasaki motorcycle. The motorcycle was allegedly exceeding the posted speed limit near the 2000 block of Western Ave, in Marion. The driver of the motorcycle, identified as Jeremy Swygart, 44, Marion, failed to stop and led the officer on an approximately three-minute pursuit. The chase ended when the motorcycle T-boned a Grant County Sheriff’s Department police car at the intersection of Miller Avenue and 50th Street.

Further investigation showed that Swygart was driving southbound on Miller Avenue, with officers behind him, when he failed to stop for a stop sign at the intersection of 50th Street. The motorcycle hit a westbound 2014 Chevrolet Impala on the passenger side. Swygart was ejected from the Kawasaki. 

The Impala was a marked Grant County Sheriff’s Department police car driven by Deputy Zachary Amonett. He was purportedly trying to get his vehicle in a position to assist with the pursuit.

Swygart died at the scene from injuries sustained in the crash. Amonett was not injured