LAKE COUNTY — An off-duty Gary firefighter was arrested early Monday after Indiana State Police say he struck a trooper’s marked police vehicle on I-65, fled the scene and later led officers through an active construction zone before being stopped in Gary.

The crash occurred around midnight Monday on southbound I-65 at the I-80 westbound interchange, according to Indiana State Police.

Trooper Garcia was working a traffic-control detail for an active construction zone and had all emergency lights activated on his fully marked ISP Dodge Durango while blocking traffic lanes. Police said a dark-colored SUV struck the Durango and then fled the scene.

Garcia suffered injuries described as non-life-threatening and was transported by Gary Fire Department personnel to Methodist Hospitals Northlake Campus for evaluation.

Shortly after the crash, responding troopers spotted a vehicle matching the description traveling westbound on I-80 with significant front-end damage. Police said the driver failed to stop and continued through an active construction zone, forcing road workers to move out of the roadway to avoid being struck.

The vehicle continued onto Broadway in Gary and then traveled west on 25th Avenue, allegedly disregarding traffic signals and nearly causing another crash before eventually stopping near the Gary Fire Department at 25th Avenue and Jefferson Street.

Police identified the driver as Michael D. Rodriguez, 47, of Gary, an off-duty Gary Fire Department firefighter.

According to ISP, Rodriguez showed signs of alcohol impairment and admitted consuming alcoholic beverages before driving. Troopers also reported observing open containers inside the vehicle.

Rodriguez allegedly refused standardized field sobriety testing as well as a certified chemical test after being advised of Indiana’s implied consent law.

Investigators subsequently obtained a blood-draw search warrant through Lake County courts, and a blood sample was collected at Methodist Hospitals Southlake Campus.

Rodriguez was then transported to the Lake County Jail and booked without further incident.

Indiana State Police said the case will be forwarded to the Lake County Prosecutor’s Office for review of several potential charges, including Level 6 felony reckless driving in a construction zone while intoxicated, Level 6 felony leaving the scene of a serious bodily injury crash and Level 6 felony OWI causing injury.

Additional potential charges include Class A misdemeanor OWI endangering, Class C misdemeanor OWI and Class A misdemeanor reckless driving.

The allegations remain subject to review by prosecutors, and Rodriguez is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.