Intoxicated Chicagoan Driver Attempted to Flee Traffic Stop On I-80/94 East, Indiana State Police Say
By Alina Panek
LAKE STATION, Ind. (CBS) - An intoxicated driver attempted to flee Indiana State trooper traffic stop on I-80/94 east after repeatedly swerving across lanes and hitting the guardrails early Saturday morning, state police said.
Indiana State Police patrolling the eastbound lanes attempted a traffic stop Saturday morning around 5 a.m. after observing the driver swerving in the center lane. The intoxicated driver was in a blue Ford sedan and first spotted traveling at only 25 mph in the right lane. The driver then swerved left into the center lane nearly striking another vehicle. The Indiana State trooper immediately attempted to perform a traffic stop but the driver refused to stop and fled.
The vehicle swerved to the right across all lanes as it drove onto the shoulder almost hitting the guardrail. The driver slowed to 5 mph, appearing to submit to the traffic stop but then sped up, fleeing from the officer. The vehicle swerved again, this time left across all lanes of travel, narrowly missing a semi-truck. She continued swerving left and right in multiple lanes while the officer called for assistance, state police said.
Swerving a final time to the right, driving off the road into an embankment and continuing onto the Ripley Street exit ramp, state police said. The vehicle drove off the roadway once more, striking the guardrail and finally coming to a stop as they drove into another embankment, state police said.
Indiana State Police said, "Although the photo may look like a crash occurred between the suspect vehicle and the police car, there was not any contact made between the two vehicles."
The stop was finally conducted and the driver, identified as Miquita N. Houston, 36, of Chicago, IL, was ultimately taken into custody. In the stop's driver impairment breath test, Houston registered .162 B.A.C. (Blood Alcohol Content). The legal limit for intoxication in Indiana is .08%.
Houston was transported to the Lake County Jail for booking. She is preliminarily charged with resisting law enforcement, operating while intoxicated, operating while endangering and reckless driving.
Indiana State Police were assisted by WAFFCO Towing and Lake Station EMS.