Hibbard has history of getting in trouble

At the age of 22, Tra Hibbard is now facing 16 felony counts connected with a tragic crash that killed two, injured five and tore a family apart.

It happened around 8:30 p.m. on Fri., Oct. 2 after he picked his sister up in Jasonville, stole gas, then led a couple (trying to get his license plate number) round and about before he crashed into a minivan on State Road 54 in Stockton Township after he had turned onto County Road 1500W.

His criminal record indicates he was on a path toward trouble long before he turned onto that road then barrelled on through the intersection without stopping.

He's been in a courtroom before, actually several times.

He has a juvenile record but those details are not a matter of public record.

His driving privileges have been suspended six times and his current incarceration is not his first visit to the Greene County Jail.

On March 29, 2005, Hibbard was arrested after leading an officer on another chase over some backroads.

Greene County Sheriff's Det. George Dallaire was a deputy at that time and was on patrol when he saw a car driving left of center on CR 700N ( Terre Haute Rd.) near 1400W near Midland in Wright Township. The officer activated his lights and attempted a stop but the driver, Hibbard, sped up then turned on another road, then another.

The officer said he was running 90 mph and Hibbard was pulling away from him.

Indiana State Police Trooper Harry Bedwell responded to the area and stopped his patrol car in Hibbard's path. Hibbard pulled over and stopped.

An affidavit filed in that case states the two officers approached Hibbard's vehicle with their weapons drawn and ordered him and a passenger to get out and on the ground.

The passenger, a juvenile, was reportedly found to have methamphetamine in his pockets.

Hibbard, who was 18, was reportedly found with a marijuana and a pipe and there was a cooler of Budweiser on the back seat.

Hibbard didn't have a driver's license.

Hibbard was charged with class D felony resisting law enforcement and four misdemeanors including illegal possession, possession of paraphernalia, operating a vehicle without ever receiving a license and possession of marijuana.

Hibbard pled guilty to possession of paraphernalia and resisting law enforcement and the other counts were dropped. He was sentenced to a total of one and one-half years with all suspended except for 86 days (the time he'd already served in jail) and put on supervised probation for one and one-half years.

According to the Sullivan Daily Times, records show Hibbard has had five convictions in Sullivan County and four of those were drug or alcohol-related.

In Feb. 2007, he pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of illegal consumption of an alcoholic beverage and a charge of reckless possession of paraphernalia was dismissed.

In July 2007, he was arrested in Minnehaha State Fish and Wildlife Area for possession of marijuana, but his sentencing order stated the charge would be dismissed if he stayed out of trouble for one year.

That didn't happen.

In May 2008, he pleaded guilty to battery resulting in bodily injury.

He was on probation in November 2008, when he tested positive for methamphetamine and marijuana and was arrested.

In March 2009, he was caught bringing a bottle of urine in to use at a drug screening and in May 2009, he pled guilty to interfering with a drug or alcohol screening test and he was also convicted of violating probation.

Hibbard was sentenced and then released from prison on June 7, 2009.