Person Of Interest Held In Crash That Killed Officer In Indiana
UPDATED 03/08/12 4:45 p.m.
CROWN POINT, Ind. (CBS) -- A person of interest is being questioned in connection with a hit-and-run crash this week that killed one Lake, Ind., County Sheriff's correctional officer and seriously injured three others.
A sheriff's department representative confirmed to WBBM Newsradio's Mike Krauser that the person of interest was being questioned in the Tuesday night crash that killed correctional Officer Britney Meux, 25, outside the Lake County, Ind., Government Complex around 7 p.m. Tuesday.
LISTEN: WBBM Newsradio's Mike Krauser reports
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An attorney contacted police and said the suspect would surrender. The suspect made good on the promise late Wednesday evening, authorities said.
Detectives are continuing their investigation, and are working with Lake County prosecutors. But no charges had been filed as of Thursday afternoon.
The sheriff's department also said a vehicle was impounded in the case.
An outdoor memorial for the killed correctional officer continued to grow outside the government complex, CBS 2's Mike Puccinelli reports.
Meux and her colleagues were jogging along a stretch of 93rd Avenue near Main Street when a sport-utility vehicle or pickup truck slammed into them and fled the scene. They were jogging as part of a training session -- some for the tactical team, others for the special operations response team.
The collision was so severe that Meux, a mother and U.S. Marine Corps veteran, was killed instantly. She had been with the sheriff's department for three years.
"She was a very nice person, very nice. It's sad that somebody can actually do that, hit and run, and take off," Sue Cain, who runs a Merrillville, Ind. clothing store Meux frequented, told CBS 2.
The three other officers -- David Murchek, 26; Latasha Johnson, 34; and Delano Scaife, 22 -- were seriously injured in the crash. Scaife was so badly injured, he was airlifted to a hospital in Indianapolis, where he underwent surgery Wednesday morning. Johnson suffered a broken arm and possible internal injuries and was released from Franciscan St. Anthony Health in Crown Point. Murchek was released from the same hospital on Wednesday.
Scaife remained hospitalized in Indianapolis.
Scaife friend and classmate Fedah Shatat says she won't be shocked if he makes a full recovery.
"Physically and mentally, I know he'll make it through," Shatat said.
Police said the hit-and-run driver sped up before crashing into the officers.
A vigil was held Wednesday evening outside the Lake County Jail to honor Meux.
