Miami County – Yesterday an off-duty Indiana State Police trooper arrested a Michigan woman who was allegedly driving a Nissan passenger car at a 116 miles per hour in a posted 60 miles per hour zone on U.S. 31 near Miami County Road 1200 North. The woman’s unrestrained one-year-old daughter was in the front seat of the Nissan.
Wednesday at approximately 5:00 p.m., off duty Indiana State Police Senior Trooper Mike Meiser was driving northbound on U.S. 31 near Miami County Road 1200 North. Meiser observed a southbound Nissan passenger car traveling at a high rate of speed. He activated his in-car radar and clocked the Nissan at a 116 miles per hour in a posted 60 miles per hour zone.
Meiser initiated a traffic stop on the Nissan. When he approached the vehicle, Meiser observed a one-year-old girl sleeping in the front passenger seat. The child was allegedly not restrained in a child safety seat nor with a seat belt. Further investigation revealed that the child’s mother, Destanie Maree-Daryell Washington, 24, Benton Harbor, MI was the driver of the Nissan. Evidence also purportedly showed that Washington was driving with a suspended operator’s license.
Washington was incarcerated in the Miami County Jail to face criminal charges for neglect of a dependent while placing a dependent in a situation that endangers the dependent’s safety and reckless driving at an unreasonable high speed so to endanger the safety of others. She was also issued citations for not having a valid operator’s license and child restraint violation.
The child was released into the care of a family member.
Indiana laws requires all children under the age of eight to be in a child safety or booster seat and the seat be used in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.
Meiser was assisted by ISP Sergeant Adam Moor, Trooper Mario Cruz, and Miami County Sheriff’s Deputy James Bean.
