Opinion ID: 2220350
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Resisting Law Enforcement

Text: The defendant was charged with resisting law enforcement by fleeing from a law enforcement officer after the officer has, by visible or audible means, identified himself and ordered the person to stop. Ind. Code § 35-44-3-3(3) (Burns 1984 Supp.). The Court of Appeals of Indiana has held, and we agree, that the meaning of this statute is that both the police officer's identification and his order to stop may be accomplished by acts visible to the defendant. The defendant's argument is that no such order to stop was made and that, therefore, his conviction for resisting cannot stand. We believe that, under the facts of this case, a sufficient visual order to stop was accomplished. The defendant, having just escaped from the custody of the security guard, was followed closely by a police officer. The officer had made a U-turn and followed the defendant's two left turns. As the defendant's car slowed finally to a stop, so did the officer's. The officer, now stopped behind the defendant, had opened his car door and was exiting when the first shot was fired. We find this evidence sufficient to prove that the defendant was under a visual command to stop when he fired and fled.