Preston Jett, Landon Shaffer Obituary, Death – Early Tuesday morning, a high-speed police pursuit that began in Alexandria ended in tragedy when a pickup truck slammed into buildings along Jackson Street in Anderson, resulting in the deaths of two individuals and critically injuring a third.
The victims, later identified as Preston Jett, 20, and Landon Shaffer, 17, both from Marion, lost their lives after the pickup collided with two buildings in the 1700 block of Jackson Street. One died at the scene, and the other succumbed to injuries at a local hospital. A third person, who was also inside the truck, remained in critical condition at an Indianapolis hospital.
The incident began around 2 a.m. when Alexandria police attempted to stop the vehicle for suspected offenses including driving under the influence, criminal recklessness, and reckless driving. The chase started near the intersection of Washington Street and North Park Avenue in Alexandria and continued for about 12 miles before ending in Anderson.
According to Anderson police, the pickup truck was traveling south on the wrong side of the one-way northbound Jackson Street at a dangerously high speed. The driver lost control, causing the vehicle to veer off the road, hit a utility pole and two houses, and then overturn before coming to a rest.
The violent crash left significant damage behind. The front yard of one of the impacted apartment buildings was littered with debris, including wooden beams, glass fragments, twisted metal, and even a pair of shoes. Tony Carter, a resident in one of the affected apartments, described the moment the crash occurred, recalling a sequence of loud booms that woke him and other neighbors. He mentioned that one of the passengers was screaming in pain, claiming his legs were broken, and that it took nearly 40 minutes for an ambulance to arrive, even though the hospital was only about half a mile away.
Carter estimated that around 40 police officers responded to the scene and questioned why the police weren’t able to stop the truck sooner, given the long chase. “They should have done a better job of shutting it down,” he remarked, reflecting on the risk posed to residents.
Images posted on social media showed the extensive destruction: pillars ripped from porches, the façade of one house caved in, and the truck itself reduced to mangled wreckage. A city building inspector later visited the scene to assess structural damage and mentioned that temporary supports would be installed to prevent a porch roof from collapsing.
Another nearby resident, Michael Looper, described being jolted awake by the crash. After ensuring his son was safe, he saw the damaged vehicle and realized how close the impact had come to his home. A front wall likely prevented more serious damage to his house. Now, Looper faces an insurance deductible to cover repairs.
As the community assesses the wreckage and asks difficult questions, Alexandria police have requested that Anderson police conduct an independent investigation to ensure transparency in the handling of the pursuit and its devastating outcome.
