Indianapolis family waited months for arrest in son's death. They aren't alone
Indianapolis police knew the identity of the driver who slammed into his 2014 Kia Optima at the intersection of East McCarty Street and Madison Avenue on Feb. 22. She'd stayed at the scene.
The family saw a video of the driver screaming about her phone as bystanders tried to save Melton and the severely injured woman and baby who were his Uber passengers.
After being taken to the hospital, police tried to tell the woman someone died in the crash, but she kept interrupting the officer's explanation; all she appeared to care about was her phone.
At one point, out of frustration, a police officer ordered her to stop talking so he could tell her of Melton's death, according to court documents.
Why, then, wasn't she arrested that night? That's a question Melton's family asked themselves for months?
'We wanted to know why police would take so long to arrest her,' said his mother Laura Melton.
It's a common frustration for many families seeking justice for their family members killed in fatal accidents.
"While the community may understandably want quick action, investigators often need time to carefully piece together the facts and make sure any arrest is supported by solid, admissible evidence," said an IMPD spokesperson.
In Melton's case, police were waiting for a toxicology report.
Police had told his family they needed the report before they filed charges on the woman who killed Melton.
"Which I understood after they told me, but it was still hard," Laura Melton told IndyStar.
For months, Melton's family waited to see if their son would receive justice.
They hoped the driver who caused the accident would be behind bars by the time the man they called a "shimmering light in this dark world" was buried.
They waited even as photos of the other driver enjoying her life appeared in their social media feeds.
The images of her partying in Indianapolis and Bloomington, while their son was in a grave, felt cruel and unfair.
It's not uncommon for families such as Melton's to wait weeks or months to see their loved one's day of justice.
However, some never experience that moment.
A majority of deaths from motor vehicle crashes don't result in the driver being charged with a serious offense for the crash, according to a 2024 Pew Research Center study.
Out of the 23 fatal crashes IMPD has investigated through May 2025, investigators have made only five arrests. Investigations are continuing in several other fatal crashes, the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department said in an email to IndyStar.
However, IMPD noted these investigations take time to conclude, and in some cases, an arrest may not be the appropriate action.
Melton's case wasn't typical. It was one of the few cases in which IMPD appeared to have ample evidence related to the woman responsible for the crash.
Once police received the toxicology report, they had everything needed before filing the case with the county prosecutor.
The report showed her blood alcohol level could have been as high as 0.143% at the time of the crash, which is close to twice the legal limit in Indiana. Her test also showed that Delta-9 THC was present in her system.
More: 'He knew God got him': Family searches for other victims in fatal crash
Police ultimately arrested her and prosecutors charged her with 10 felonies, most of which were related to her operating a vehicle while either intoxicated and under the influence of a Schedule 1 or 2 controlled substance that resulted in death or serious bodily injury. She was also charged with reckless homicide.
'She needs to be held accountable for this. I'm glad that the process is beginning,' Laura Melton said.
Laura Melton believed things would be easier after the driver was arrested and charged with her son's death. But it soon became clear the pain would never leave her. A new wave of emotions hit the family after attending the driver's initial hearing on May 13.
'My daughter Rainey, she's been one of the strongest people throughout this whole process, but when we walked out of the court today, she was in tears,' Laura Melton said.
'And this is one of the easiest hearings, it was just formal charges. I know we will have a lot more harder days ahead of us.'
It's a bittersweet feeling many families will never be able to experience.
'Even if we get justice for my son," Laura Melton said, "it's not going to bring him back.'
IndyStar uses discretion in naming people accused of crimes, considering the severity of charges and available information, among other factors. Suspects may not be named if ongoing reporting of the associated court proceedings is not immediately planned.
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