Terre Haute Vice News

According to a report in the Muncie Star Press, drivers on U.S. 40 in Henry County, Indiana, witnessed a bizarre scene on Sunday morning – a stolen fire truck careening down the highway chased by police lights flashing.

The unusual pursuit began around 5:20 AM when a grass truck belonging to the Buck Creek Township Fire Department in neighboring Hancock County rolled into a Knightstown Speedway gas station with its emergency lights activated.

The driver, identified as 45-year-old Thomas Longstreet of Indianapolis, approached a Knightstown police officer inside the convenience store with a peculiar question: “Which way to Naptown?” – a local nickname for Indianapolis. 

The officer, noting Longstreet’s slurred speech and unconventional attire of flip-flops and a child’s sweater, became suspicious and followed the fire truck as it headed west on U.S. 40. When the officer attempted to pull the vehicle over for speeding in a school zone, Longstreet allegedly took off, accelerating to dangerous speeds exceeding 90 mph.

The high-speed chase continued into Hancock County where sheriff’s deputies eventually cornered Longstreet near the Greenfield jail. Upon apprehension, Longstreet reportedly claimed to be a mayor and later insisted he was a law enforcement officer, even though the fire truck was unlocked with the keys left inside.

Back in Henry County, Longstreet now faces serious charges, including felony counts of resisting law enforcement and impersonating a public servant, each carrying a potential sentence of 30 months in prison.

Additionally, he was charged with reckless driving, a misdemeanor. This isn’t Longstreet’s first brush with the law. Court records reveal a history of convictions for offenses like arson, impersonation of a public servant, and drug possession.