Stolen Car Pursuit Ends In Hobart After Suspect Rams Two Police Cars
A fleeing driver in a stolen SUV crashed into a Lake County Sheriff’s Department patrol car during a pursuit this afternoon, according to Lake County Sheriff Oscar Martinez Jr. A 30-year old man is in custody and faces criminal charges.
Sometime around 3:30 Wednesday afternoon, a Lake County police officer attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a Honda Pilot flagged as stolen by a license plate reader near 61st Avenue & Marcella Boulevard in Hobart.
The driver of the SUV backed into the police officer’s patrol vehicle and began to flee on 61st Avenue heading towards I-65, Martinez said.
Several police units joined in the pursuit as the driver of the SUV headed north on I-65.
The fleeing driver hit a patrol vehicle on I-65 attempting to stop him a second time and eventually exited onto eastbound Ridge Road.
Another officer performed a precision immobilization technique to stop the SUV. It struck a parked pickup truck and finally stopped.
No one was hurt but two police patrol units were damaged.
The suspect is being held in custody pending criminal charges which may include auto theft, fleeing law enforcement, battery with a deadly weapon and reckless driving.
The incident is under investigation.
