LAKE COUNTY– This morning at approximately 12:00 a.m. (CST), an Indiana State Police trooper was injured after his fully marked ISP Dodge Durango was struck by a dark‑colored SUV while he was working a traffic‑control detail on I‑65 southbound at the I‑80 westbound interchange.
Trooper Garcia, who had all emergency lights activated and was blocking traffic lanes for an active construction zone, sustained non-life-threatening injuries and was transported by Gary Fire to Northlake Methodist Hospital for evaluation.
The vehicle that struck the police car fled the scene of the crash.
Shortly after the collision, responding troopers located a vehicle matching the description traveling westbound on I‑80 with significant front‑end damage. The driver failed to stop, leading troopers through an active construction zone where road‑crew personnel had to move out of the roadway to avoid being struck. The vehicle continued onto Broadway in Gary and then westbound on 25th Avenue, disregarding traffic signals and nearly causing an additional crash. The vehicle came to a stop near the Gary Fire Department on 25th Avenue and Jefferson Street.
The driver, an off-duty Gary Fire Department fireman, was identified as Michael D. Rodriguez, 47, of Gary, Indiana, showed signs of alcohol impairment and admitted to consuming alcoholic beverages prior to driving. Open containers were observed inside the vehicle. Rodriguez refused standardized field sobriety tests and the certified chemical test after being read Indiana’s implied consent warning.
A blood search warrant was obtained through the Lake County Courts, and a blood sample was collected at Southlake Methodist Hospital. Rodriguez was then transported to the Lake County Jail, where he was booked without further incident.
The following charges will be forwarded to the Lake County Prosecutor’s Office for review:
- Reckless driving in a construction zone while intoxicated: Level 6 felony
- Leaving the scene of a serious bodily injury crash- Level 6 felony
- OWI causing injury- Level 6 felony
- OWI endangering- Class A misdemeanor
- OWI – Class C misdemeanor
- Reckless driving- Class A misdemeanor
Those facing criminal charges are considered innocent until proven guilty through a fair and due legal process. Accusations alone do not imply guilt; the judicial system will evaluate the presented evidence to reach a verdict.
