LA PORTE, Ind. — A New Jersey man accused of leading police on a 118 mph chase from LaPorte County to Roseland with about 7 kilograms of cocaine in his trunk is now in federal custody, WNDU reported Friday, Oct. 23.
That same morning, Tyrone Hilley appeared with a lawyer in LaPorte Circuit Court and pleaded not guilty to the state charges, according to the court's online docket.
Key facts
| Who | Tyrone Hilley, listed in court records with a Somers Point, N.J., address |
| When | Chase on Thursday, Oct. 15; state charges filed Monday, Oct. 19 |
| Where | Stop on the Indiana Toll Road in LaPorte County; arrest in Roseland, St. Joseph County |
| Seized | About 7 kilograms (15 pounds) of cocaine, police said, valued at about $250,000 |
| State charges | Dealing in cocaine over 10 grams (Level 2 felony); resisting law enforcement using a vehicle (Level 6 felony); resisting law enforcement (Class A misdemeanor) |
| Court | LaPorte Circuit Court, Judge Julianne K. Havens; case 46C01-2610-F2-001188 |
| Next | Omnibus hearing Dec. 18; jury trial set for April 12, 2027 |
The stop and chase
The case began Thursday, Oct. 15, when Hilley's rental SUV was pulled over on the Toll Road in LaPorte County for speeding and following too closely, according to court documents cited by WNDU.
Police said Hilley gave several inconsistent explanations about his travel and appeared nervous. When a deputy asked to search the SUV, Hilley refused, police said. He later ran back to the vehicle and drove off.
The pursuit continued east into St. Joseph County at speeds up to 118 mph, police said. Indiana State Police laid stop sticks near mile marker 75. Hilley crashed after taking Exit 77 for South Bend and Roseland, then ran and climbed a barbed-wire fence, according to police.
A police drone later tracked him to the parking lot of the Quality Inn in Roseland, police said. He ran into a wooded area before he was arrested. Police said they found the cocaine in a suitcase in the trunk of the rental Mazda.
The state case
Prosecutors filed charges and a probable cause affidavit in LaPorte Circuit Court on Monday, Oct. 19, the docket shows. A $50,000 cash bond was posted the same day. WNDU reported Oct. 22 that he was no longer in custody.
At the Oct. 23 initial hearing before Judge Julianne K. Havens, Hilley pleaded not guilty, the docket entry says. The court set an omnibus hearing for Dec. 18, a pretrial conference for March 12, 2027, and a three-day jury trial starting April 12, 2027.
Under Indiana law, a Level 2 felony carries 10 to 30 years in prison, with an advisory sentence of 17½ years, according to the Indiana Code.
The federal warrant
On Thursday, Oct. 22, WNDU reported that federal authorities were looking for Hilley on a new federal warrant and that he was no longer in custody. Federal authorities told the station the cocaine was worth close to a quarter of a million dollars.
A day later, the station reported that federal investigators confirmed Hilley had appeared for his state hearing and was then in federal custody. WNDU first reported on Oct. 19 that the Drug Enforcement Administration was involved.
WNDU's reports did not say what federal charge the warrant involves. Charges are allegations, and Hilley is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
Photo credit
- Lead photo: Indiana Toll Road (Interstate 80/90) in northern Indiana. Georgi Banchev, Wikimedia Commons, public domain. Resized.
- Roseland sign. Eric Friedebach, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0. Resized.
- LaPorte County Courthouse. Chris Light, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0. Resized; shared under the same license.
