An off-duty Gary firefighter was arrested early Monday after police said he struck an Indiana State Police patrol vehicle in a construction zone on Interstate 65, left the scene and was later taken into custody after a pursuit through Gary.
Indiana State Police said the crash happened shortly after midnight on southbound I-65 near the I-80 interchange. A trooper was conducting traffic control in an active construction area when a dark-colored SUV struck his fully marked Dodge Durango.
The trooper suffered non-life-threatening injuries and was taken to a local hospital for evaluation.
Police Locate Damaged SUV
Troopers later spotted a vehicle matching the description of the SUV traveling westbound on I-80. Police said the vehicle had significant front-end damage.
When troopers attempted to stop the driver, he did not pull over. The pursuit continued through an active construction zone before moving onto streets in Gary.
According to Indiana State Police, the driver continued onto Broadway and then west on 25th Avenue, where he allegedly disregarded traffic signals and nearly caused another crash. Road construction workers also had to move out of the roadway to avoid the vehicle, police said.
The SUV eventually stopped near the Gary Fire Department at 25th Avenue and Jefferson Street.
Driver Identified as Gary Firefighter
Police identified the driver as 47-year-old Michael D. Rodriguez of Gary, who was off duty from the Gary Fire Department.
Troopers said Rodriguez displayed signs of alcohol impairment and acknowledged that he had consumed alcoholic beverages before driving. Officers also reported finding open containers inside the SUV.
Rodriguez reportedly refused standardized field sobriety testing and a certified chemical test after being advised of Indiana’s implied consent law. Investigators then obtained a blood-search warrant through the Lake County courts, and a blood sample was collected at Southlake Methodist Hospital in Merrillville.
Rodriguez was subsequently taken to the Lake County Jail and booked without further incident.
Charges Being Referred to Prosecutors
Indiana State Police said the case will be forwarded to the Lake County Prosecutor’s Office for review of several charges.
Those include reckless driving in a construction zone while intoxicated, a Level 6 felony; leaving the scene of a serious bodily injury crash, a Level 6 felony; and OWI causing injury, also a Level 6 felony.
Rodriguez also faces potential misdemeanor charges of OWI endangering, OWI and reckless driving.
The investigation remains ongoing, and the allegations have not been proven in court. Rodriguez is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Trooper’s Injuries Were Not Life-Threatening
The state trooper involved in the initial crash was treated for injuries described by police as non-life-threatening. No additional serious injuries were reported in the pursuit.
The case will now move to the Lake County Prosecutor’s Office for review of the charges.
