UPDATE: Arrest Made in Fatal Schererville Crash That Killed Lake County Correctional Officer
SCHERERVILLE — A man has been formally charged after allegedly fleeing the scene of a deadly crash that claimed the life of a Lake County Correctional Officer early Saturday morning in Schererville.
According to court filings and police affidavits obtained by Region News Source, 29-year-old Jimmie Earl Jacobs III of Schererville and Hammond has been charged with Leaving the Scene of an Accident Resulting in Death, a Level 4 Felony and Reckless Homicide (def. recklessly kills another human being using vehicle), following a crash at U.S. 30 and Austin Avenue around 4:04 a.m. on October 11, 2025.
Investigators say Jacobs was driving a white Chrysler 300 westbound on U.S. 30 when he ran a red light at a high rate of speed, striking a black Honda Civic driven by 58-year-old Ronald Timothy Jones of Schererville. Jones, a Lake County Correctional Officer, was reportedly on his way to work at the Lake County Government Complex when the crash occurred.
The impact left Jones trapped and unresponsive inside his vehicle. Schererville firefighters had to use hydraulic rescue tools to remove him from the wreckage before he was airlifted to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn. Despite lifesaving efforts, Jones later succumbed to his injuries.
Crash reconstruction specialists documented extensive skid marks and debris at the scene and determined the Chrysler’s excessive speed and disregard for the red signal were key factors.
Surveillance video from Dairy Belle, located at the northwest corner of the intersection, showed the Chrysler blowing through the red light moments before impact. The footage also captured the driver, later identified as Jacobs, exiting the wrecked Chrysler and fleeing the scene on foot, before being picked up by a small SUV moments later.
Police recovered Jacobs’ Indiana driver’s license, work ID, and cell phone inside the Chrysler, along with personal belongings. A DNA sample from the deployed airbag was collected and sent to the state lab for testing.
Throughout the morning, multiple agencies including Schererville Police, the Lake County Sheriff’s Department, and the South Lake County Crash Reconstruction Team — searched for Jacobs using drones and K-9 units. Around 9:15 a.m., police received reports of a man matching his description bleeding and limping near Redar Park, but initial searches were unsuccessful.
As investigators traced leads, Jacobs reportedly called Schererville Police around 3:25 p.m. using another person’s phone, attempting to report that he had been “in an accident somewhere on U.S. 30” but was “unsure where.” When dispatchers advised him to come to the station, he refused and would not reveal his location.
Detectives later identified the phone’s owner as Marche Holcombe, who initially denied contact with Jacobs but later admitted to helping him after the crash. Holcombe was stopped at the Luke gas station on U.S. 41 in Schererville, where she was taken into custody for false informing.
Phone records, license plate reader data, and witness interviews led officers to an apartment in the 2000 block of Meadow Lane in Schererville, where Jacobs had been hiding since the morning of the crash. He was taken into custody without incident at approximately 8:06 p.m. that evening.
Detectives noted that Jacobs had visible injuries, including a deep laceration to his leg and bruising on his shoulder, but he refused medical treatment and declined to speak with investigators without an attorney.
Jacobs was booked into the Lake County Jail on October 11 and formally charged. Holcombe faces a separate misdemeanor charge.
The victim, Ronald Jones, 58, served as a Lake County Correctional Officer and was remembered by colleagues as a dedicated public servant and friend. Jones worked for the jail for a little over 9 years. He leaves behind two adult children. A GoFundMe was setup to cover costs of his arrangements.
https://www.gofundme.com/f/officer-ronald-t-jones
All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Region News Source will continue to follow this developing case as court proceedings move forward.
