The Indiana State Police Lowell Post investigated a fatal crash in La Porte County that occurred Wednesday, January 31 that involved a police car.
Prior to the crash, according to the La Porte County Sheriff’s Office, late in the evening on January 31, a Westville Police Department Officer attempted to stop a vehicle along U.S. 421. The driver of the motor vehicle allegedly failed to yield, resulting in a motor vehicle pursuit. The pursuit continued southbound on U.S. 421 and then west on U.S. 30 into Porter County.
Prior to reaching State Road 49, the fleeing vehicle turned and began traveling back eastbound on U.S. 30 and into La Porte County. The vehicle turned southbound on U.S. 421 where police say a decision was made to terminate the pursuit in the interest of safety.
Several minutes later, information was received regarding a crash along U.S. 421. Deputy David Grimberg located the crash in the 14000 south block of U.S. 421. The crashed vehicle was confirmed to be the same as that of the fleeing vehicle from several minutes earlier.
Indiana State Police troopers continued with the investigation where they say the driver was taken into custody and handcuffed and secured in the front seat of a 2021 Ford Explorer police car. According to the report, the suspect manipulated the handcuffs, unbuckled the seatbelt, took possession of the police vehicle, and drove away from the scene.
Police reportedly lost sight of the vehicle after a chase ensued. Officers later came upon debris in the roadway in the area of 2100 S. and 875 W. and found the stolen vehicle had crashed after crossing a set of railroad tracks at an extremely high rate of speed. The car came to rest submerged in a ditch. The driver, 21-year-old Melissa L. Collins of Lafayette, was inside the vehicle and later pronounced deceased by the La Porte County Coroner’s Office. The family has been notified. Cause and manner of death will be determined after an autopsy is conducted by the La Porte County Coroner.
