Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
A Warsaw man will serve 10 years in prison following a police-involved shooting in Kosciusko County in June 2025.
Lance Allen Walter, 38, Warsaw, was charged with battery resulting in bodily injury to a public safety officer and resisting law enforcement with a prior resisting conviction, both level 5 felonies; leaving the scene of an accident with moderate or serious bodily injury and possession of methamphetamine, both level 6 felonies; and operating a vehicle while intoxicated - endangerment, a class A misdemeanor.
Five additional criminal charges, including an attempted murder charge, were all dismissed as part of a plea agreement.
Walter was sentenced in Kosciusko Circuit Court on Monday.
For battery resulting in bodily injury to a public safety officer, Kosciusko Circuit Court Judge Matthew Buehler sentenced Walter to three years in the Indiana Department of Correction (DOC). He also received a six-year DOC sentence for resisting law enforcement with a prior resisting conviction. Walter received one-year DOC sentences for each of his remaining charges.
Walter's sentences for leaving the scene of an accident, resisting law enforcement and OWI will all be served at the same time. These will then be served back-to-back to Walter's sentences for battery and meth possession.
In total, Walter received a 10-year DOC sentence. His driver's license was also suspended for one year through his OWI charge. Walter has 318 days of jail time credit plus good time credit as calculated. He must also pay $2,519.09 in restitution to Selective Insurance Company of America for damages to a Warsaw Police Department squad vehicle.
At sentencing, Chief Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Christanne Hampton presented video footage from the Warsaw officer's vehicle and body camera of Walter's actions. The officer also testified and gave a victim impact statement, telling the court he was doing state grant patrol for OWI incidents prior to his encounter with Walter.
"That incident will replay in my head for the rest of my life," said the officer. "I understand my job comes with risks ... none have affected my family or I more than the night Lance Walter tried to kill me. That night, I was a target. I saw Lance deliberately turn his vehicle at me ... an intentional act of violence."
The officer said the maximum sentence didn't seem enough for Walter's actions, but that he accepted it.
"This is not a man who should be walking free," said the officer. "Lance was mere inches from my bullet ... I'm grateful we're both OK after this incident."
The officer then directly addressed Walter after reading his statement, saying he had heard Walter found God while in jail.
"I pray this is true," said the officer. "I extend forgiveness to you, but that doesn't equate accountability. I pray you continue this path of sanctification. Every day you wake up is a chance to turn to Christ and his mercy."
Hampton said Walter's level 5 felonies were crimes of violence that would allow the court to administer consecutive sentencing. She also noted Walter's prior criminal history involved incidents with law enforcement and his "hatred for law enforcement," referencing statements Walter made in an interview with police after the pursuit.
With these aspects, Hampton asked the court to recognize the incident as a bias crime against law enforcement.
"This offense is likely to reoccur if he has a deep-seated hatred for law enforcement," said Hampton. "There are no assurances the community, that law enforcement, can be safe here."
Defense Attorney John Barrett described the incident as "a bad situation that could have been much worse." He said Walter was a much different person than he was shortly after encountering police in June 2025. Barrett also asked the court to heavily consider whether consecutive or concurrent sentencing would be imposed.
Walter also gave a statement in court and directly apologized to the involved officer.
"I didn't intend to hurt the officer or my friend," said Walter, referencing a second person who was in his vehicle during the pursuit. "I truly have tried to change. I've found faith."
Walter requested alternative sentencing and treatment for substance abuse.
"What stands out to me is you've described this as a split-second decision," said Buehler. "But this chase went on for a while. You had many opportunities to stop and say, 'I'm going to hurt someone' and end the chase. You didn't. The decision you made was to ram the vehicle and turn back around. I do believe your apology is sincere ... I can't simply overlook your behavior over the last 10 years. We are extremely fortunate this wasn't a lot worse, for you, for the officer, and for the entire community."
Affidavit Of Probable Cause
Around 3:30 a.m. June 7, 2025, a Warsaw Police officer attempted to stop a vehicle for a traffic violation in the area of CR 150N and Ind. 13. Walter was identified as the vehicle's driver.
According to court documents, the officer attempted to pull the vehicle over, but Walter failed to stop and fled at a high rate of speed. Dash camera footage from the officer showed Walter's vehicle driving in the opposite lane of travel at a high rate of speed. Later, Walter turned off his vehicle's lights and drove without them as he fled.
During the pursuit, Walter's vehicle turned onto CR 150N and entered a field. Walter's vehicle did a high-speed turn around, sideswiping the officer's vehicle on the driver's side. This caused the driver's side door to close on the officer's leg, causing injury that was later observed as bruises and cuts.
When Walter's vehicle hit the front and driver's side of the officer's vehicle, the officer discharged his service weapon in the direction of Walter's vehicle.
The collision was strong enough to cause the officer's vehicle to spin almost 180 degrees.
After hitting the officer's vehicle, Walter's vehicle entered the field again and became disabled. Walter fled on foot and ran into the field, but a passenger in his vehicle suffered leg and other injuries and was unable to move.
A K9 unit found Walter in the field.
In an interview with police, Walter said he recalled seeing a vehicle approach him, and it made him feel "uneasy." He told police he remembered seeing emergency lights but decided to accelerate his vehicle instead of stopping.
Walter also admitted to hitting the police vehicle "real hard."
Walter has a prior unrelated conviction for using a vehicle to resist law enforcement in Starke County in January 2018.
