Two people were arrested and no injuries were reported Thursday after a head-on collision occurred during a police pursuit in Lake County.
Just before 1:30 p.m., a police officer with the Lake County Sheriff’s Department attempted to stop the driver of a black Jeep Cherokee SRT for speeding near US-20 and Clay Street in Gary. The driver of the SUV accelerated, leading police in a pursuit. The suspect vehicle eventually went through an alley at Whitcomb Street and hit a Lake County police squad car head on. The police officer was able to initiate a pit maneuver in an attempt to safely stop the suspect vehicle. The driver of the suspect vehicle lost control and collided with a Gary Police Department squad car, then collided with a tree. The driver and a passenger in the SUV were taken into custody. The driver was a 22-year-old male from Portage. The passenger was a 23-year-old male from Merrillville.
Officers retrieved two handguns, one of them reported stolen. The SUV had been reported stolen out of Chicago in October. Officers also retrieved a quantity of suspected marijuana and suspected ecstasy pills.
Police said Thursday that the case remains under investigation.