Lake County, IN – A high-speed police chase that began in northwest Indiana ended in Oak Brook, Illinois early Thursday morning after officers arrested a 29-year-old Des Plaines man.
According to the Lake County Sheriff’s Department, the pursuit started around 3 a.m. when Indiana State Police alerted deputies about a white Dodge Ram reported stolen in Indianapolis. The truck fled onto I-80 near Grant Street in Gary, allegedly reaching speeds over 100 miles per hour while weaving across lanes.
Authorities said the driver continued north onto I-294, tossing objects out of the window as officers followed. At Ogden Avenue in Oak Brook, local police deployed stop sticks that deflated a front tire. The driver exited onto Roosevelt Road, abandoning the vehicle near Roosevelt Road and Harrison Street.
Police said the suspect, identified as Jose A. Herrera Zepeda, 29, fled on foot into a construction zone. Lake County deputies and a Hillside police officer pursued and eventually apprehended him without further incident.
Herrera Zepeda is being held in Illinois pending extradition to Indiana, where he could face multiple charges related to the stolen vehicle and police pursuit.
Sheriff Oscar Martinez Jr. commended the cooperation between Indiana and Illinois agencies, noting that coordinated efforts helped prevent potential injuries during what he described as a “dangerous situation.”
