HENDRICKS COUNTY — A man on trial for his role in a crash that led to the deaths of an infant and toddler changed his plea in court on Tuesday.
In the middle of the trial, the Hendricks County Prosecutor said S'Doni Pettis decided to plead guilty as charged. Pettis faced multiple charges, including causing death while operating a motor vehicle.
Pettis is scheduled to be sentenced on February 9.
Investigators say on February 5, 2025, Pettis stole a car in Indianapolis. When an Avon Police officer tried to stop him, Pettis sped away.
Pettis ran a red light at the intersection of US 40 and Ronald Reagan Parkway and hit an SUV with a family inside.
A two-month-old, Iris, died at the scene. Her three-year-old brother, Ares, died days later after he was taken off life support.
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At a previous scheduled court appearance in May, WRTV reported that Pettis was approached by 65-year-old Mark Vawter, the great-grandfather of Ares and Iris, as he and other inmates were being escorted into the courthouse by Hendricks County Sheriff's deputies.
Vawter allegedly brandished a firearm and was killed by the deputies. After an investigation into the incident, Indiana State Police determined the deputies acted lawfully and with justifiable cause, clearing them of any wrongdoing.
