Incident Details
Cause of Death:Lieutenant Thomas Kleis was killed in a single-vehicle accident during a high-speed pursuit.
He lost control of his patrol car and hit a row of trees on Shelbyville Road near Edgewood Avenue.
A 16-year-old male suspect, later convicted of reckless homicide and resisting law enforcement, was sentenced to six years in prison. After violating probation, he was sentenced to two years and subsequently was discharged in 1998.
Lieutenant Kleis was survived by his wife, stepson, stepdaughter, mother, father and two brothers.
Military Service United States Army |
Historical Note • The 16-year-old offender is the eighth-youngest known to be involved in a line of duty death in Indiana. |