Hit-and-Run Crash Leads to Manhunt and K9 Apprehension in Porter County
Porter County, IN — A chaotic hit-and-run crash involving a motorcycle and a white Ford pickup truck sparked a large multi-agency police response Friday night, ending in the arrest of a suspect found hiding in a bush after a K9 apprehension.
On May 9, 2025, at approximately 10:06 p.m., police were dispatched to the area of State Road 8 and County Road 200 West following reports of a serious crash. Witnesses said a motorcyclist was struck by a white Ford Ranger, which then fled the scene.
An off-duty Indiana State Police officer in the area reported seeing a white pickup with a truck cap backing up on State Road 8 before fleeing north on CR 200 W. A witness followed the suspect vehicle and called 911, providing a license plate number traced to Paul York.
Responding officers from Hebron, Kouts, Indiana DNR, and Porter County Sheriff’s Department located the abandoned pickup with heavy front-end damage near 750 South and 225 West. A police K9 unit was deployed to track the suspect.
During the search, K9 Osok led officers to a property on 750 South where officers discovered York hiding in a bush after detecting the smell of cigarette smoke. Despite multiple commands, York initially refused to show his hands or exit. K9 Osok was deployed and apprehended York by biting his upper thigh. Officers placed York in handcuffs, noting he resisted arrest.
EMS treated York at the scene and later transported him to Franciscan Hospital in Crown Point, where he received four stitches. According to police, York claimed he fled after the crash because he feared another driver was “chasing him with a gun.”
At the crash scene, officers recovered a cigarette and an open container of Fireball whiskey, suggesting York may have consumed alcohol after the incident. Video footage later confirmed he was trespassing on private property while evading arrest.
York was arrested and charged with:
- Leaving the scene of an accident with injury
- Resisting law enforcement
The motorcyclist’s condition has not been released.
