S’Doni Pettis Sentenced to 74 Years After Deadly Police Pursuit
A Hendricks County judge has sentenced S’Doni Pettis to 74 years in the Indiana Department of Correction , the maximum sentence allowed under Indiana law , following a violent police pursuit that ended in a catastrophic crash and the deaths of two young children. The sentence was imposed in Hendricks County Circuit Court . Earlier this year, Pettis pled guilty to all charges midway through his trial , and the court entered convictions on every count related to the incident. The case stems from the morning of February 5, 2025 , when Pettis, who was already on probation in Marion County for aggravated battery, stole a vehicle in Indianapolis and fled west toward Hendricks County. After an Avon police officer confirmed the vehicle was stolen and attempted a lawful traffic stop, Pettis chose to flee. Investigators said Pettis sped westbound on U.S. 40 , approaching the intersection at Ronald Reagan Parkway at extreme speeds. He ran a red light and crashed into a family’s SUV , s...