Ryan Lee Oakes, 28, of Valparaiso, Indiana, is charged in Porter County following an April 4, 2026 crash investigation in Chesterton.
According to court documents, officers responded to the area of State Road 49 and Interstate 94 where a 2008 Hyundai Elantra was involved in a crash. Oakes admitted he was the driver of the vehicle at the time of the accident.
Police state the crash involved another vehicle and occurred during an investigation where Oakes’ vehicle rear-ended another motor vehicle.
During the investigation, officers observed multiple signs of intoxication. Court records indicate a strong odor of intoxicants, watery and bloodshot eyes, slurred and confused speech, and unsteady balance. The report further states Oakes would be cooperative at times and then switch to being argumentative, crying, using profanity, and hostile toward officers.
Field sobriety testing was difficult to complete as Oakes was reportedly too intoxicated and nearly fell during testing. A portable breath test showed a result of 0.236, and a certified chemical breath test later recorded a result of approximately 0.205 grams of alcohol per 210 liters of breath.
Authorities also determined Oakes had been granted specialized driving privileges under a prior court order. However, during the crash investigation, officers found the vehicle he was operating was not equipped with a required ignition interlock device as ordered by the court.
Lodged in the Porter County Jail.
Charges filed April 6,2026:
• Violation of Ignition Interlock Order – Class A Misdemeanor
• Operating a Vehicle With Alcohol Concentration Equivalent to .15 or More – Class A Misdemeanor
• Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated Endangering a Person – Class A Misdemeanor
• Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated – Class C Misdemeanor
Additional Note: Court records show Oakes has another pending Porter County case involving Operating a Vehicle With Alcohol Concentration Equivalent to .15 or More – Class A Misdemeanor, Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated Endangering a Person – Class A Misdemeanor, and Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated – Class C Misdemeanor.
