A Rensselaer man was arrested Friday after a pursuit, while trying to enter the La Porte County Complex.
Just after 2:00 a.m., a La Porte County Sheriff’s deputy saw a vehicle traveling westbound on U.S. 20, west of Fail Road. A radar check measured the vehicle’s speed at 63 miles per hour in a 45 mph zone.
The deputy attempted to initiate a traffic stop on U.S. 20 near Wilhelm Road, but the driver failed to stop the vehicle and a pursuit began.
The driver turned south onto Wilhelm Road and then west on Springville Road. The driver failed to negotiate the curve on Springville Road at U.S. 20 and left the roadway. The vehicle traveled off roadway before eventually making its way back on U.S. 20 and traveling westbound again.
The pursuit was terminated near the intersection of U.S. 20 and U.S. 35 for several reasons, police said. The vehicle merged onto I-94 while the deputy continued to observe it from a safe distance. At the 39-mile marker, the vehicle conducted a U-turn and began traveling eastbound on I-94.
The pursuit started again as the vehicle exited I-94 onto U.S. 20. The vehicle continued to flee westbound on U.S. 20 for a short distance before turning south onto U.S. 35. At the intersection of U.S. 35 and Johnson Road, the fleeing vehicle struck a set of tire deflation devices that had been deployed by the La Porte City Police Department.
The pursuit continued southbound on U.S. 35 into the city of La Porte. The vehicle exited Pine Lake Avenue onto Perry Street.
The vehicle continued to the dead end of Perry Street where it crashed into Norfolk Southern Railroad Tracks.
The suspect exited the vehicle and began to flee east along the railroad tracks. The foot chase continued in a direction towards the La Porte County Complex. He approached a door of the building which also houses the La Porte County Sheriff’s Administrative Offices and the La Porte County Jail. A Michigan City Police Department K-9 apprehended the suspect as he was attempting to make entry.
The suspect, 31-year-old Christopher R. Rodriquez, of Rensselaer, was transported to a nearby hospital by La Porte County EMS for treatment of the police K-9 bite.
After being cleared, he was transported to the La Porte County Jail. Rodriquez was arrested for possession of methamphetamine, unlawful carrying of a handgun, resisting law enforcement, resisting law enforcement, and aggressive driving.
As of Saturday, Rodriquez remained housed in the La Porte County Jail and was being held on a $20,005 cash-only bond through Circuit Court.