PORTER COUNTY- A Chicago woman allegedly threatened and bit an Indiana State Trooper during a traffic arrest, according to the Indiana State Police. On Saturday, June 29, at about 6:40 p.m., the trooper was patrolling I-94 east of the truck weigh station when he observed a vehicle approaching him from behind at a high rate of speed. The vehicle, a Hyundai with Illinois registration, passed the trooper in his fully marked police car as the trooper was also traveling eastbound. The trooper caught up to the vehicle and paced the vehicle at 105 mph. The speed limit on I-94 in this area is 70 mph. The vehicle was also changing lanes without signaling and passing other vehicles on the right, Indiana State Police said. The Trooper activated the emergency lighting in his police car and the vehicle eventually pulled over after initially not stopping right away.
During the subsequent investigation, the driver was handcuffed and taken into custody. The driver also showed signs of impairment and of being under the influence of alcoholic beverages, police said. Once handcuffed, the driver, identified as 22-year-old Shelby E. Foster, from Chicago, IL, became verbally aggressive towards the trooper, police said. “She insisted that her relative was a Chicago Police Officer and demanded that the trooper call him immediately, the ISP said.
While locating Foster’s identification in her purse, the trooper also discovered two fake Illinois identification cards.
“While transporting Foster to the Porter County Jail, she made several attempts to remove the handcuffs from her wrists and was eventually successful in removing one handcuff, Indiana State Police said. The Trooper immediately stopped the police car on the shoulder of the highway and exited the police car and went to the passenger side door, police said. He then attempted to handcuff Foster again, but she continually pulled away, resisting the arrest. Foster then leaned out of the vehicle and forcefully bit the trooper on his right arm, police said. The trooper was able to quickly pull his arm away from her teeth as she began to continuously scream at him, police said
“While en route to the jail, she continued her rant which included threats of serious violence towards the trooper and his family, as well as claims that she is related to several Chicago Police Officers,” ISP said. “Once at the jail, she refused to take a certified chemical test for intoxication. She also spit on one of the jail officers during the booking process,” ISP said.
Foster is preliminarily charged with two counts of battery by bodily waste fluid, intimidation, battery against a public safety official engaged in official duty, and resisting law enforcement, reckless driving, operating a vehicle while intoxicated endangering a person, disorderly conduct, operating a vehicle while intoxicated, possession of false identification.