Man recently released from prison batters family and police, flees

A Greenwood man who was recently released from prison was arrested on eight charges early Wednesday morning after he beat two relatives, nearly ran over a sheriff’s deputy with a stolen car and fled police more than once.

Jimmy Smith, 25, 15 Beech Court, was arrested on two felony domestic battery charges, two charges of resisting law enforcement, auto theft, battery on a law enforcement officer, interference with reporting a crime and marijuana possession.

He was released from prison on parole on March 14, according to the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office. He had been serving sentences related to theft, burglary and resisting law enforcement convictions in Johnson and Shelby counties.

Sheriff’s deputies arrived at the house on Beech Court about 11 p.m. Tuesday. As they walked up the driveway, they heard a car inside the garage start. It reversed at a high rate of speed, squealing its tires. Sheriff’s deputies recognized the man in the driver’s seat to be Smith, and a deputy had to jump out of the way of the speeding vehicle, according to a report from the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies yelled for Smith to stop, but he sped off. They pursued him, but were unable to find him, the report said.

In the garage, they found Smith’s mother laying on the ground, her face covered in blood, according to the report. She told them Smith was trying to kill her, the report said.

She said Smith threw her outside and she struck her head. Another relative had a torn shirt and abrasions to his right arm, according to the report. Both were taken to the hospital for treatment.

The mother said Smith asked her to borrow her car and she told him no, which is what started the fight. She said Smith threw her to the garage floor, knocking her unconscious. As other family members called police, Smith began shouting at her to tell police she had fallen, the report said.

When she tried to reach for her phone, he punched her in the left cheek, then attempted to throw her in the car, she told police. Another relative tried to stop him, but Smith slammed his head into the car door, the report said.

She believed Smith was trying to take her away to kill her, to keep her from telling police what had happened, she said.

Later, Bargersville police spotted the car Smith stole near the intersection of Whiteland and Morgantown roads. They tried stop him, but Smith fled again.

Franklin police attempted to use stop sticks on the car at State Road 144 and State Road 44, but the car continued into downtown, running a red light at U.S. 31 and Jefferson Street before coming to a stop in the 300 block of 2nd Street, according to a Bargersville Police Department report.

Smith fled on foot. Police found him hiding in a friend’s house nearby, according to the report. He said he fled because he had marijuana in his pocket, which he did, the report said.

Smith told police he was angry because his family was trying to swindle him out of a relative’s life insurance check, the sheriff’s office report said.

As he was being booked into jail, he assaulted a community corrections officer, and they had to restrain him, according to the report.

Smith is being held at the Johnson County jail on $22,200 bond.