HAMMOND, Ind. (WISH) — Indiana State Police troopers in Lake County arrested a man for driving intoxicated and hitting a police car.

The crash happened early Monday morning on I-80/I-94 near Calumet Avenue. That’s less than a mile east of the Illinois border.

Police say they were investigating another crash when 26-year-old Kyle Barbour hit the side of the police car and then drove away. They found him driving east on three wheels.

After crashing into the median, police say, Barbour fled on foot in the westbound lanes of the interstate before being captured.

This story was created from a script aired on WISH-TV.

News release

“Lake County- This morning at approximately 2:15 a.m., troopers were investigating a crash eastbound on I-80 near Calumet Ave. Trooper Baumeister and Trooper Garcia had parked their police cars with their emergency lights activated in the left lane and inside shoulder, blocking those lanes for the crash scene investigation. Trooper Garcia’s Dodge Charger was parked behind Trooper Baumeister’s Dodge Durango. The two troopers were standing in front of the Durango performing field sobriety tests on a driver, when another vehicle rear-ended the Dodge Charger. This impact caused debris to also hit the Durango, damaging it. The suspect vehicle then fled the scene and continued eastbound.

“Trooper Haddon located the suspect vehicle driving eastbound near the 3 mile-marker driving on 3 wheels with sparks coming from the vehicle. The vehicle then struck the median wall and became disabled. The driver exited the vehicle and went north across the westbound lanes with Trooper Haddon in foot pursuit. The suspect ran up to a Hammond Fire Battalion Chief in his marked fire vehicle and began hitting the window to get into the truck. As Trooper Haddon approached, the suspect again ran across the westbound lanes into traffic before finally stopping and being placed into custody. 

“The suspect, Kyle C. Barbour, 26, from Hammond, IN, was later transported to the Lake County Jail. He is preliminarily charged with the following offenses:

• O.W.I. Endangering a Person- Class A Misdemeanor
• Failure to Report a Crash- Class B Misdemeanor
• Resisting Law Enforcement- Class A Misdemeanor
• Reckless Driving Causing Property Damage- Class B Misdemeanor

“The above listed charges are accusations of a crime. Final charges will be determined by the Lake County Prosecutor. All suspects are presumed to be innocent until/unless proven guilty in court. The Hammond Police Department and Lake County Sheriff’s Department also assisted with the investigation.”

Sgt. Glen Fifield, public information officer, Indiana State Police post at Lowell, on Oct. 21, 2024