Lake County- This morning at approximately 3:00 a.m., a trooper on the Indiana Toll Road was parked observing traffic traveling west bound at the 2.5 mile-marker. While doing so, he observed a passenger car traveling west and as it was driving, the driver of the vehicle was shooting a gun out the window. The trooper immediately pulled out behind the vehicle and initiated a felony traffic stop. All the occupants were taken into custody without further incident. Detectives from the Lowell Post Criminal Investigations Division responded to the scene to investigate. During the investigation, a 9mm Sig P365 was recovered.
The driver, Julio H. Miramontes, 31, from Chicago, IL, was transported to the Lake County Jail and is preliminarily charged with the following:
- Criminal Recklessness with a Handgun- Level 6 Felony
Two passengers that were in the vehicle were not charged and were released at the scene. The roadway was closed for approximately 3 hours to complete the investigation. Assisting at the scene was the Hammond Police Department, Lake County Sheriff's Department and the Munster Police Department.
All persons named in this release are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in court. Charges mentioned are merely accusations, actual charges will be determined by the Lake County Prosecutor's Office.