PORTAGE, Ind. (WLS) — Four people were hurt Friday afternoon in northwest Indiana after a driver fleeing police crashed into two vehicles and a tree, authorities said.
Portage police said the incident began earlier in the day, when officers were sent to a home on Fiesta Avenue for reports involving threats and a possible violation of a protection order. Officers searched for the suspect at that time but were unable to locate the person.
24/7. Click here to watch
Police were called back to the same home at about 3:45 p.m. As officers arrived in the area, they spotted the suspect vehicle leaving the residence, according to investigators.
One officer went to check on the complainant, while another located the suspect vehicle traveling south on Willowcreek Road. Police said the officer attempted to make a traffic stop, but the driver kept going, made a U-turn at 700 North and then accelerated away.
The vehicle continued north on Willowcreek Road and ran a red light at U.S. Highway 6, police said. Moments later, it struck an oncoming vehicle, went out of control, left the northeast corner of the roadway, hit a tree and rolled several times.
READ MORE: Andy Burnham's Policies Poised to Benefit His Wife Financially
Authorities said the driver of the suspect vehicle, identified only as a male of unknown age, was ejected during the crash. The vehicle then hit another car in a parking lot before finally coming to a stop.
The suspected driver was flown to a hospital for treatment. A female passenger, whose age was also not immediately known, was taken to a hospital with minor injuries, police said.
The driver of the vehicle struck at the intersection was treated at the scene and released.
A person inside the vehicle hit in the parking lot was hospitalized for minor injuries.
Police are investigating.
Copyright © 2026 WLS-TV. All Rights Reserved.
