Lake County- The morning of December 14th, at approximately 8:37 A.M., troopers from the Indiana State Police Lowell Post observed a vehicle that had been reported stolen traveling westbound on I-80 in Lake County. Troopers attempted to make a traffic stop after the vehicle merged onto I-65 northbound from I-80.
The driver failed to stop, and the troopers initiated a vehicle pursuit. The pursuit continued onto the Indiana Toll Road (I-90) and I-80/94 before entering local roads in the city of Gary. The suspect vehicle came to a stop at the intersection of 21st Avenue and Wisconsin Street in Gary, where the suspect fled from the vehicle on foot.
An Indiana State Police K-9 was deployed during the foot chase. During the apprehension of the suspect, the ISP K-9, named Rogue, suffered a gunshot wound to her paw. Rogue’s handler immediately placed her into his police car and drove her to a local animal hospital for emergency treatment. Rogue is currently in stable condition and is expected to make a full recovery.
The suspect, Damontae Reed, 22, from Gary, IN, was incarcerated at the Lake County Jail where he is preliminarily charged with the following:
- Auto Theft, a Level 6 Felony
- Resisting Law Enforcement while operating a motor vehicle, a Level 6 felony
- Reckless Driving, a Class A Misdemeanor
All charges listed are preliminary and subject to change at the conclusion of the investigation. The accused is presumed innocent until/unless proven guilty in court.
Detectives from the Indiana State Police Lowell Criminal Investigations Division responded to the scene and are conducting a full investigation into the events as they occurred. More information may be released as the investigation progresses.
Also, during the initial vehicle pursuit, a single-vehicle crash occurred on I-80 at the 13.5 mile-marker which involved one of the troopers in the pursuit. The trooper was forced to take evasive action to avoid another vehicle, which resulted in the police car running off the roadway and coming to a stop in a water-filled, roadside ditch. The trooper was not injured.
Assisting the Indiana State Police at the scene were the following: Crime Scene Investigators from the Indiana State Police Laboratory Division, the Lake County Sheriff's Department, the Lake County Sheriff’s Department Aviation Division, the Gary Police Department, Precision Towing and the Hobart Animal Clinic.