A driver who allegedly struck a Chicago Police Department officer was arrested by Lake County Sheriff’s Officers Thursday night.
According to Lake County Sheriff Oscar Martinez, sometime after 7 p.m. Thursday evening, police officers with the Lake County Sheriff’s Department responded to an alert about the driver of a stolen Volkswagen that fled a traffic stop conducted by Chicago police officers.
The vehicle struck a Chicago police officer as the driver fled the scene.
A helicopter from Illinois tracked the driver heading east toward Indiana, where several Lake County Sheriff’s Department officers positioned themselves to try to stop the vehicle.
The Volkswagen exited at Grant Street in Gary, but accelerated at a high rate of speed, evading police. Police said the vehicle re-entered I-80/94 and headed back into Illinois.
At Cline Avenue it’s believed other agencies deployed stop sticks and slowed the Volkswagen. It struck a Lake County police officer’s patrol car twice during a roadblock attempt. At Torrence Avenue, the driver of the Volkswagen lost control of the vehicle and the pursuit ended.
The driver was placed into custody and later taken to a hospital for evaluation. He is identified as a 22-year-old man from Illinois who has an active DuPage County warrant for battery, assault and obstruction.
The suspect is currently being held in the Lake County, Indiana jail pending additional criminal charges.
The Lake County Auto Theft Unit is investigating.
No further details were released.