LAKE COUNTY – On May 17, 2026, at approximately 10:10 p.m., an Indiana State Police trooper assigned to the Lowell Post arrested an Illinois driver following a high‑speed vehicle pursuit that began on I‑80 in Gary and concluded in Hammond.
While patrolling westbound on I‑80 near Grant Street, Trooper Griffin observed a black Audi approaching his vehicle from behind at a high rate of speed. Radar confirmed the vehicle was traveling 91 mph in a posted 55-mph zone. The Audi then passed the trooper’s semi‑marked Ford Mustang police vehicle and continued to accelerate, making abrupt lane changes.
Trooper Griffin attempted to catch up to the vehicle, pacing it at 93 mph before the driver rapidly accelerated to approximately 130 mph. When the trooper activated emergency lights, the driver briefly slowed before fleeing westbound. Emergency sirens were activated as the vehicle continued westbound on I‑80 at speeds reaching 145 mph.
Trooper Beers entered I‑80 from the Kennedy Avenue interchange and was able to position ahead of the fleeing vehicle. The Audi voluntarily came to a stop near Indianapolis Boulevard, where troopers conducted a felony stop. The driver, identified as Damian Arzabek, 18, from Oswego, Illinois, was taken into custody and later transported to the Lake County Jail.
The following charges have been submitted to the Lake County Prosecutor’s Office for consideration of reckless driving and resisting law enforcement with a vehicle.
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.
