A high-speed police pursuit unfolded Tuesday during evening rush hour, originating in Northwest Indiana and culminating in Chicago’s South Side. The chase involved a driver, who relatives claim was with his young daughter, and began after a traffic stop in Hammond, Indiana. The driver allegedly fled out of fear.
Exclusive video footage captured by news helicopters shows the pursuit on the Bishop Ford Freeway, with authorities confirming a 4-year-old girl was inside the speeding vehicle. The chase continued onto the inbound Dan Ryan Expressway.
The black BMW involved in the Police Pursuit Today Live Now weaved dangerously through heavy traffic before exiting at 59th Street and speeding through residential streets and even a yard. The driver’s girlfriend stated she was on the phone with him throughout the ordeal, and he expressed confusion as to why he was being pursued.
The driver, a 26-year-old man from Calumet City, eventually abandoned the vehicle near 53rd and Morgan, leaving his daughter behind steps away from relatives’ homes. He was apprehended shortly after and tasered by officers. Paramedics treated him on the scene before he was taken into custody.
Lake County, Indiana Sheriff’s deputies reported the incident began around 5 p.m. when Highland police attempted a traffic stop in Hammond as part of a multi-agency law enforcement operation. The reason for the initial traffic stop remains under investigation.
The suspect’s aunt claimed the stop was due to confusion over the vehicle’s dealer plates, leading to the driver’s panicked flight. However, the Lake County Sheriff’s Department clarified there was no indication of a stolen plate and emphasized the driver’s reckless endangerment of the child and other drivers.
The driver faces multiple charges including felony fleeing, reckless endangerment of a child, and marijuana possession. He is currently held in a Chicago correctional facility awaiting extradition to Indiana. The 4-year-old child is reportedly safe with family.
