HENDRICKS COUNTY — A man who pleaded guilty in a crash that killed two young children in Hendricks County is headed to prison for decades.
On Monday, a judge sentenced S'Doni Pettis to 74 years in prison.
Pettis, who initially planned to plead not guilty, decided to plead guilty as charged back in January. Pettis faced multiple charges, including causing death while operating a motor vehicle.
”The crimes committed by the defendant are unspeakable. Two innocent children lost their lives because of violent choices and utterly indifferent to human life. There is no sentence that can restore what was taken from these families, but there is an obligation—on behalf of this community—to hold the offender fully accountable,” said Prosecutor Loren Delp in a post on social media.
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.
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