Hobart Police Pursue Charger Through Gary
On July 6, 2021, at approximately 1:25 PM a Hobart Police Officer was traveling northbound on Northlake Park Avenue and Rand Street, and he noticed a red Dodge Charger that was traveling northbound in front of him, he saw the Charger enter the southbound lane of traffic, according to Captain James Gonzales. The Officer also observed the Charger disregard a red light at 37th Avenue and Northlake Park Avenue and make a westbound turn onto 37th Avenue.
The Officer activated his emergency lights and sirens and pulled behind the vehicle, but the driver kept driving and refused to pull-over, instead the driver accelerated and started driving at a high rate of speed while traveling westbound on 37th Avenue. The driver of the vehicle swerved into eastbound traffic and then entered the northbound on ramp at 37th Avenue and I-65.
The driver traveled northbound at high rates of speed on I-65 and then entered the westbound ramp and began to travel on 80-94 and continued to drive at a high rate of speed, the driver of the Charger sideswiped a vehicle on 80/94 and continued to travel west on 80/94. The driver traveled to the northbound ramp on Burr Street and exited the expressway and traveled north on Burr Street to 19th Avenue. The driver traveled eastbound on 19th Avenue to Grant Street and then traveled northbound on Grant Street. The vehicle traveled northbound on Grant Street to 3rd Avenue and began to travel eastbound on 3rd Avenue. While driving on 3rd the driver lost control of the vehicle and struck a curb, which rendered the vehicle inoperable.
Hobart Officers were able to take the driver into custody and was identified as T’mika Neal, 22 years of age from Illinois, Gonzales said. She was transported to a local hospital and was medically cleared. She was then transported to the Lake County Jail and charges will be submitted to the Lake County Prosecutor’s Office. No one was injured during this incident.
Ms. Neal faces the following charges:
1. Flight using a motor vehicle
2. Criminal Recklessness
3. Reckless Driving
4. Failure of Duty
