Pursuit Closes I-65 Temporarily
On Thursday, January 7th, Lake County Sheriff’s Department Highway Interdiction officers arrested three Wisconsin residents and confiscated suspected crystal methamphetamine after a pursuit on I-65, according to Sheriff Oscar Martinez Jr.
At approximately 11:42 a.m., a Lake County officer was patrolling I-65 near the Kankakee River, when he spotted an SUV following too closely behind a semi. The detective attempted to position his patrol car behind the northbound SUV, but it suddenly accelerated at a high rate of speed and fled, Martinez said. A Lake County Aviation Unit helicopter and additional Lake County officers were dispatched to aid in the pursuit of the SUV.
On northbound I-65 just south of route 231 near Crown Point, a male passenger began to toss what appeared to be a white powdery substance and other objects out of the SUV. The pursuit continued north on I-65, where Merrillville Police and Indiana State Police assisted by deploying stop sticks in an effort to flatten the tires of the SUV and end the pursuit. The SUV ran over the stop sticks near I-65 and U.S. 30 in Merrillville, and the tires began to deflate. Officers then used their vehicles in a maneuver to surround the fleeing vehicle and terminate the pursuit.
A 33-year-old male, who was driving the SUV was taken into custody; as well as a 32-year-old male passenger and a 28-year-old female passenger. All three are from Wisconsin. The two men are being held in the Lake County jail pending charges which may include drug possession and resisting law enforcement officers. The driver was wanted in Wisconsin for parole violation and drug offenses. The female passenger was released.
“I commend all officers involved for their skill and expertise in ending the pursuit and bringing the subjects into custody safely,” said Lake County Sheriff Oscar Martinez Jr.
The case remains under investigation.
