Two Illinois men were arrested Monday after leading Lake County Sheriff’s Department officers on a pursuit.
At around 11 a.m., officers observed an occupant in a Ford Fusion throw a bottle out of the vehicle near 25th and Grant Street in Gary, police said. Officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop, but the vehicle fled onto I-80/94 westbound at Grant Street.
Officers attempted to box the fleeing vehicle in and reduce its speed, but the car collided with a civilian vehicle and a police patrol SUV. The suspect vehicle came to a stop “just across the Illinois state line.” Officers observed the driver throw a firearm over the nearby barrier wall. The suspect ran eastbound from the scene. The passenger, who was also armed, remained inside the vehicle.
The 22-year-old driver and the 21-year-old passenger were taken into custody and transported to an area hospital to be medically cleared. They are brothers who reside in Robbins, Illinois. Investigators determined the car was registered to their mother.
No other injuries were reported.
Two loaded handguns were recovered and criminal charges are pending.