PEKIN — A 33-year-old Pekin man faces multiple felony charges—including attempted murder and weapons offenses—following an alleged domestic assault, a driveway shooting, and a high-speed, multi-county police chase late Sunday night, according to the Indiana State Police Sellersburg Post.
Aaron Scott Wilson Thornberry was taken into custody early Monday morning, July 27, 2026, and booked into the Washington County Jail shortly after 2:00 a.m.
The incident began at approximately 10:46 p.m. on Sunday, July 26, when troopers and the Washington County Sheriff’s Department responded to reports of domestic violence and gunfire at a home on East Blankenbaker Road near Pekin.
Investigators determined that Thornberry engaged in a physical altercation with a female victim inside or near the residence, leaving her with visible injuries. Shortly after, a second woman arrived at the home. As she pulled into the driveway, Thornberry allegedly opened fire, striking her multiple times.
Thornberry fled the scene in a black Ford Explorer before officers arrived.
Emergency responders transported both victims to regional medical facilities. The shooting victim was rushed to the University of Louisville Hospital in Louisville, Kentucky.
The battery victim was taken to Ascension Saint Vincent Salem.
At the request of local authorities, the Indiana State Police assumed lead agency responsibilities, assigning Detective Travis Baker to head the investigation.
Three-County Pursuit and PIT Maneuver
As crime scene technicians processed the residence, a Scott County police officer spotted Thornberry’s black Explorer traveling on State Road 56 in Scott County. When officers attempted a traffic stop, Thornberry refused to pull over, initiating a chase that spanned Scott, Jefferson, and Clark counties.
Despite troopers and Scott County deputies successfully deploying tire-deflation “stop sticks” along the route, Thornberry continued driving on damaged tires.
The pursuit finally came to an end early Monday morning on State Road 62 near Marble Hill Road in Clark County, where Trooper Jason Riley executed a Precision Immobilization Technique (PIT) maneuver. The Explorer spun off the roadway and became disabled in a ditch, allowing officers to arrest Thornberry without further incident.
Thornberry is incarcerated at the Washington County Jail, where he is being held on the following preliminary charges:
- Two counts of attempted murder, a Level 1 felony
- Operation of a machine gun, a Level 4 felony
- Possession of a machine gun, a Level 5 felony
- Criminal confinement, a Level 3 felony
- Two counts of intimidation, a Level 5 felony
- Two counts of domestic battery, a Level 5 felony
- Domestic battery, a Level 6 felony
The response and investigation involved law enforcement officers across several jurisdictions, including the Indiana State Police, Washington County Sheriff’s Department, Scottsburg Police Department, Scott County Sheriff’s Office, and Clark County Sheriff’s Office. State Police emphasize that the investigation remains active and ongoing.
