Ross Morelock Sentenced to 75 Years for Attempted Murder of Pendleton Officer

Ross Morelock received an aggregate sentence of seventy-five (75) years to be served at the Indiana Department of Correction.  Morelock was convicted last month following a three (3) day jury trial of the Attempted Murder of Pendleton Police Officer Jerry Branson.  Judge David Happe sentenced Morelock to forty (40) years for Attempted Murder, a Level 1 felony, twelve (12) years for Possession of Cocaine or a Narcotic Drug, a Level 3 felony, and nine (9) years for Possession of a Firearm by a Serious Violent Felon, a Level 4 felony, with the sentences being served concurrently for a total of forty (40) years.  That sentence was enhanced by a period of 17.5 years for the Felony Firearm Enhancement and an additional 17.5 years for the Habitual Offender Enhancement for a total, aggregate sentence of seventy-five (75) years to be served at the Indiana Department of Correction. 

At trial, the State's case was presented by Chief Deputy Prosecutor Andrew Hanna and Deputy Prosecutor Tyler Piraino. The case was investigated by Detective Brett Webb of the Anderson Police Department.

Around 2:30 pm on May 7, 2024, Officer Jerry Branson of the Pendleton Police Department was driving on the north side of Anderson attempting to locate a driver from a recent accident that occurred on Interstate 69. Police officers employed by a municipality have law enforcement authority anywhere in the State of Indiana. See, e.g., Manley v. State, 410 N.E.2d 1338, 1340 (Ind. Ct. App. 1980). Indeed, it is often necessary for local law enforcement officers to leave town, city, or county limits during an investigation. Another officer notified Officer Branson that the driver had been located. Officer Branson was returning to Pendleton when he observed a black Mercedes sedan that matched the license plate number of a vehicle of interest from a separate Pendleton Police Department investigation from May 1, 2024. 

At 2:31 pm on May 7, 2024, Officer Jerry Branson initiated a traffic stop of the black Mercedes sedan at Broadway St. and W. School St. in Anderson, Indiana. At the time of the traffic stop, Officer Branson was wearing a distinctive uniform and was driving a clearly marked police vehicle. The vehicle pulled into the GetGo gas station at 2500 Broadway St. The traffic stop was captured on video from three separate sources: a security camera from the GetGo gas station, a dash-mounted camera on the Pendleton Police vehicle, and Officer Branson’s body-worn camera.

Officer Branson exited his police vehicle and approached the black Mercedes sedan. The vehicle was occupied by two individuals, Amelia Peters, 23, of Anderson, who was in the driver’s seat, and Ross Morelock, 39, of Anderson, who was in the front passenger seat. Both individuals were persons of interest from the May 1^st investigation, although Morelock denied he had identification and provided Officer Branson with a false name and date of birth. At the time of the incident, Morelock also had three active warrants for his arrest, one in Madison County for Nonsupport of a Dependent Child, a Level 6 felony, and two warrants from Fayette County for Dealing in Methamphetamine, a Level 2 felony, and Dealing in Methamphetamine, a Level 4 felony. 

After confirming Peters was one of the individuals he was looking for, Officer Branson asked Peters to exit the vehicle and detained her in handcuffs. Officer Branson radioed dispatch to advise that he had a subject detained and requested additional units respond to the scene. While waiting for backup, Officer Branson remained near the driver’s side door of the vehicle with Peters to maintain visual contact of Morelock, who remained seated in the front passenger seat of the black Mercedes sedan. 

During the course of the traffic stop, Officer Branson gave three separate loud, verbal commands to Morelock to keep his hands where he could see them. When Morelock continued to make furtive movements with his hands, Officer Branson gave two additional loud, verbal commands to Morelock to place his hands on the dashboard. When Morelock again disobeyed those commands, Officer Branson drew his department-issued handgun and pointed it at Morelock just before Morelock produced a handgun and pointed it at Officer Branson. 

Officer Branson pushed Peters to the ground for her safety and attempted to discharge his department-issued handgun at Morelock, but the firearm malfunctioned, and he was unable to do. Officer Branson cleared his firearm and reengaged Morelock. A 10-second-long exchange of gunfire ensued where Officer Branson fired four rounds and Morelock fired six rounds. Morelock fired five rounds at Officer Branson, one of which grazed Officer Branson’s shoulder leaving an approximately 1-inch-long surface wound and punctured a hole through his uniform shirt. Morelock exited the passenger side door of the vehicle and placed his handgun under his chin in an upward direction and shot himself in the head.

Officer Branson was treated at Community Hospital Anderson and was released the same day. Morelock was transported by ambulance to a hospital in Indianapolis where and was released approximately one month later. The only injury to Morelock was a single self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.

On May 13, 2024, the Madison County Prosecutor's Office determined Officer Branson's use of force was justified. 

A jury trial was conducted between March 10-13th. Following twenty minutes of deliberation, a Madison County Circuit Court 4 jury found Ross Morelock guilty of Attempted Murder, a Level 1 felony, Possession of Cocaine or a Narcotic Drug, a Level 3 felony, and Possession of a Firearm by a Serious Violent Felon, a Level 4 felony