News release, Indiana State Police (update at bottom of release):
HAMMOND- On Friday, October 16, the Indiana State Police were asked by the Hammond Police Department to investigate a crash in their city involving one of their off-duty police officers. The crash resulted in one driver sustaining fatal injuries, and two additional drivers being transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Preliminary investigation indicates that at approximately 8:55 p.m., a black 2024 Chevrolet Silverado was traveling northbound on Columbia Avenue at a high rate of speed. The vehicle crossed 165th Ave. and struck a silver 2021 Toyota Highlander that was attempting to enter Columbia Avenue from a nearby business parking lot. The impact caused catastrophic damage to the driver’s side of the Toyota. The Chevrolet then rotated into the southbound lanes of Columbia Avenue, where it was struck by a gray 2010 Ford SUV. The Toyota crashed into a fence west of Columbia Ave. The driver of the Toyota succumbed to their injuries. The drivers of the Chevrolet and the Ford were transported to a local hospital for treatment and were later released.
The driver of the Chevrolet, officer Alonso J. Lopez, 34, of Hammond, Indiana, was off duty at the time of the crash and was taken into custody at the hospital after voluntarily submitting to a blood draw. He was transported to the Lake County Jail and held on a 48‑hour probable cause hold. Lopez was later released pending further investigation by the Indiana State Police Crash Reconstruction Unit and the results of the blood analysis.
Upon completion, the case will be submitted to the Lake County Prosecutor’s Office for review and consideration of felony charges. Alcohol and excessive speed are believed to have contributed to the crash. Identification of the deceased will be released by the Lake County Coroner pending notification of family.
All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
UPDATE: The deceased has been identified by the Lake County Coroner’s Office as Thomas Hunt Jr., 73, from Gary, IN. Family has been notified. This investigation is ongoing and once the investigation has been completed, an update will be issued.