LAST CALL: Master Trooper Bailey honored during Saturday services

DEKALB COUNTY, Ind. (WPTA) - The community is gathering Saturday to pay their final respects to Master Trooper James Bailey, who was struck and killed by a Marion man while in the line of duty last week.

Funeral services

Master Trooper Bailey’s funeral services are scheduled for Saturday, March 11, at 11 a.m. at the Garrett High School gymnasium. Following the funeral, a procession will take Master Trooper Bailey’s body from the high school to the burial site at Calvary Cemetery.

Indiana State Police say the public is invited to show their support to Bailey’s family along the procession route Saturday (detailed list below). Police say if you would like to pay your respects, please park in proper areas and avoid blocking roadways and residential driveways along the procession route.

21Alive will also provide a livestream of Bailey’s service Saturday morning, starting at 11 on-air and on our Facebook page.

ALL RELATED COVERAGE: Remembering Master Trooper Bailey

The procession route is as follows:

• Departing from Garrett High School on the east side
• Second Street south to Warfield
• Warfield west to S.R. 327 (Randolph Street) northbound
• S.R. 327 (Randolph Street) northbound to S.R. 8
• S.R. 8 east through Auburn to Cedar Street (Stop at Dekalb County Courthouse)
• South on Cedar Street to Ensley Street
• Ensley Street southwest to Wayne Street
• Wayne Street southwest to C.R. 427
• C.R. 427 to westbound C.R. 11A
• C.R. 11A to C.R. 56 westbound
• C.R. 56 to northbound S.R. 327
• S.R. 327 to Dennis Street
• Dennis Street westbound to Ijams Street
• Ijams Street to Houston Street (Final 10-42 in front of St. Joseph Catholic Church 300 W. Houston Street Garrett, IN)
• Houston Street westbound to Hamsher Street
• Hamsher Street southbound to Calvary Cemetery

Visitation was held on Friday from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the County Line Church of God in Auburn.

About Master Trooper Bailey

Master Trooper Bailey was a decorated law enforcement officer, Indiana State Police records show.

In 2021, he earned the “Combat Action Award” while responding to a car chase that ended in Kendallville. They say Bailey was pinned down by gunfire but returned fire and kept the suspect in place until SWAT officers could arrive and make an arrest.

Bailey’s fellow Troopers have put his impressive career into some simple, heartfelt words. Sgt. Bohner, who was in the same recruit class as Bailey, sat down with 21Alive to give a tribute about his honorable career and his beloved Indiana State Police.

The Auburn man is survived by his wife, son and daughter.

You can read his full obituary here.

An account to benefit the family of Master Trooper Bailey has been established at ProFed Credit Union under the Indiana Fallen Heroes Foundation. You can view the memorial fund here. Donations can also be made on Venmo by sending to: @Indiana-Fallen-Heroes.

Thank you for your service, Master Trooper Bailey.

Court documents

Probable cause documents released in the case show the suspect, 42-year-old Terry DeWaine Sands II of Marion, intentionally struck Master Trooper Bailey during a police chase on March 3.

Police say Bailey came in to work on his day off to aid with crashes on I-69 amid wintry weather when he heard about a police pursuit with Sands. Records say a Fort Wayne Police Department officer saw Sands driving erratically and attempted to stop him when he sped off.

Master Trooper Bailey then tried to lay out stop sticks to stop Sands, who was driving around 90 mph. That is when documents say Sands drove into the median and directly into Bailey’s path, striking him with his vehicle.

When police spoke with Sands, he said he intended to hit Bailey’s vehicle, claiming he swerved to miss Bailey and falsely stated that Bailey “jumped in front of him”.

Police say they reviewed several video accounts of the crash, finding no evidence that Sands attempted to swerve out of the way to miss Bailey. They also say Bailey did not jump in front of Sands’ vehicle.

On Thursday, Sands made his first court appearance at a DeKalb County courtroom that was packed full of State Police Troopers. He was formally charged with murder, resisting law enforcement - use of motor vehicle causing death, causing death when operating a motor vehicle with a controlled substance, and knowingly/forcibly resisting law enforcement.

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