Indiana State Trooper Dragged By Driver Fleeing Traffic Stop; Hobart Police Officer Injured In Struggle With Suspect
CHICAGO (CBS) -- An Indiana State Police trooper and a Hobart police officer were injured early Wednesday, when a suspect fleeing a traffic led police on a chase through northwest Indiana.
Indiana State Police Master Trooper Glen Fifield said a trooper was conducting a traffic stop east of Hobart overnight, and after the driver got out of his car, he ran back to his vehicle and sped off, dragging the officer a short distance.
A short time later, the driver sped around Hobart police officers who had blocked the westbound lanes of Lincoln Highway near Clay Street, after an earlier traffic accident. Hobart police said the driver narrowly struck Hobart officers, but no officers were injured.
Hobart police chased the car into Merrillville, where the car pulled into a parking lot at 75th and Broadway, and fled on foot.
The driver struggled with officers who chased him, and police deployed a K-9 to help capture him. Hobart Police Capt. Garrett Ciszewski said one officer suffered a broken hand while struggling with the suspect.
Hobart police said the suspect is now in Indiana State Police custody.
Meantime, two people were seriously injured in the traffic accident Hobart police were investigating when the fleeing suspect went around a police barricade.
Hobart police said a driver headed the wrong way on Lincoln Highway, with no headlights on, crashed into another vehicle, and was thrown from the car.
The wrong-way driver was taken to the hospital in critical condition. The driver of the other vehicle was taken to the hospital in serious condition.
Police said drug paraphernalia was found at the scene, and police were investigating to determine if drugs or alcohol were a factor in the crash.