Odd Indiana crimes of 2017: Brains and vodka, fast cars, and Uber or ER?

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The Indy Star on 12/27/17 by Ryan Martin

A drunken-driving arrest involving human organ samples. A shooting victim who called Uber. An underwear thief. Crimes are rarely a laughing matter. Occasionally, though, they’re unusual.
Here are five that were particularly memorable from the past year.

BRAINS, LIVERS AND VODKA
In September police made a drunken-driving arrest in Morgan County after a witness said a Nissan Titan was moving erratically.

Elmo Griggs

Inside the pickup truck police found several totes with some unusual labels: brain and liver samples.

The reason why? The truck’s driver, 75-year-old Elmo A. Griggs, worked as a pathology vendor for the Marion County coroner’s office, IndyStar reporter Justin Mack reported.

Griggs wasn’t providing services to the county at the time of his arrest.

Police also found a half-empty vodka bottle in the truck.

Police later learned that the samples were connected to Griggs’ private cases involving the Tippecanoe County coroner’s offices.

Griggs was sentenced in October to a year of probation after pleading guilty to operating a vehicle while intoxicated.

CRIME BRIEFS

Last year police learned of a six-month shoplifting spree across Indianapolis. Police said the perpetrator stole purses, coats and athletic wear.

Terry Benyon

And lots and lots of women’s underwear.

All told, police say he stole at least $20,000 in merchandise.

They eventually arrested Terry Benyon. He was sentenced in February to seven years in prison after being found guilty of corrupt business influence and multiple counts of theft, IndyStar reporter Holly Hays reported.

Benyon told police that he sold the underwear and other clothes from the back of his truck.

He would park outside gas stations, salons and liquor stores, he told police.

The underwear — some from Victoria’s Secret, according to the report — sold for $3 each.

HE WANTED TO GO FAST

Want to give a 707-horsepower car a spin? Maybe don’t try it on the Indiana Toll Road in Lake County.

That’s where Indiana State Police in April found an Illinois man reaching 158 mph in his 2016 Dodge Challenger Hellcat.

The posted speed limit in that area is 70 mph.

Fully throttled, the 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat

The driver told a state trooper that he knew he was driving fast — but that he wanted to show his friends what the powerful engine was capable of, Hays reported.

The Hellcat can reach a top speed of 199 mph, according to an IndyStar auto review, moving from 0 to 60 mph in 3 seconds.

The driver was arrested on a preliminary charge of reckless driving.

AMBULANCEX OR AMBULANCEXL?

A man was shot in the groin early one May morning.

But instead of calling an ambulance, he apparently called for an Uber, IndyStar reporter Emma Kate Fittes reported.

The 27-year-old eventually was transferred out of the Uber vehicle into an ambulance.

He was taken to Eskenazi Hospital with no life-threatening injuries, police said.

Two suspects fled. No arrests have been made.

DRIVERS, GIVE ME YOUR WALLETS

Indianapolis 500 pole sitter Scott Dixon and former 500 champion Dario Franchitti were making a food run on a Sunday night in May when they were robbed at gunpoint.

Chip Ganassi Racing IndyCar driver Scott Dixon (9)Buy PhotoChip Ganassi Racing IndyCar driver Scott Dixon (9) watches Ed Carpenters last lap securing him the pole position for the Indianapolis 500 during Armed Forces Pole Day Sunday, May 21, 2017, afternoon at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. 

Thankfully, no one was hurt.

While waiting in the drive-thru line at Taco Bell, 3502 W. 16th St., two teenagers approached the car, IndyStar reported.

They demanded Dixon’s wallet and phone.

“There goes that Taco Bell sponsorship we were working on I guess,” race team owner Chip Ganassi tweeted.

Two boys, 15 and 14, were arrested.