Hammond, IN (October 29, 2026) – At approximately 11:15 p.m. on October 29, a black Infiniti SUV hit the rear of a parked Indiana State Police patrol vehicle, the agency said. The crash happened on Interstate 80 near Indianapolis Boulevard in Hammond.
The patrol vehicle was parked on the inside shoulder and sustained heavy rear-end and driver’s side damage. The SUV was left disabled and blocking multiple lanes of the interstate.
A trooper and an Indiana State Police intern riding with the trooper were taken to a hospital with minor injuries. Both were treated and released.
State police said the driver, a 34-year-old man from Blue Island, Illinois, showed signs of impairment. Officers noted bloodshot, watery eyes and the odor of an alcoholic beverage.
He refused field sobriety testing, a portable breath test, and a chemical test after being advised of Indiana’s Implied Consent Law. Officers obtained a search warrant for a blood draw, and results are pending.
The driver was taken to the Lake County Jail on preliminary charges. Those charges are operating while intoxicated endangering, operating while intoxicated (first offense), and operating a vehicle with a suspended registration.
He was also cited for unsafe lane movement and operating without financial responsibility. State police noted that all criminal charges are merely allegations.
This is a developing story. Details may change as the investigation continues.
Civil Claims After a Suspected Impaired-Driver Crash in Hammond, IN
Indiana’s move-over law, IC 9-21-8-35, tells drivers to change lanes or slow down near a stopped emergency vehicle with flashing lights. Violations are Class A infractions, or Level 6 felonies when they cause serious bodily injury or death to someone connected with the vehicle. Whether that law applies here depends on facts investigators are still gathering.
A civil claim runs separately from the criminal case, so it can be investigated while charges move through court. Police cited the driver for operating without financial responsibility, so uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage may matter (IC 27-7-5-2). Insurers must make that coverage available in Indiana.
- First steps: Get evaluated even if injuries seem minor, ask Indiana State Police for the crash report number, and photograph the vehicles and the scene. Keep every medical bill and missed-work record.
- Who may be liable: The driver is the main party, and an attorney checks the vehicle’s owner and every policy that applies. Anyone hurt while working can generally still bring a claim against an outside driver while receiving workers’ compensation benefits (IC 22-3-2-13).
- Deadline: Indiana allows two years from the crash to file a personal injury claim (IC 34-11-2-4), which puts the deadline at October 29, 2028.
How Langer & Langer Helps After a Car Crash in Lake County, IN
When a driver is accused of impairment, the injured person still faces medical bills, insurance calls, and a long wait on the criminal case. Our Indiana auto accident attorneys take on the insurers, gather the police and medical records, and pursue the civil claim while the charges proceed.
We value the full claim, including future care and lost income, and we are prepared to take it to court if an offer falls short.
What Lake County victims get with Langer & Langer after a crash involving an alleged impaired driver:
- Serving Indiana families since 1980
- More than 100 years of combined legal experience
- Steven L. Langer, former President of the Indiana Trial Lawyers Association and Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers
- Recognized by Super Lawyers and Best Lawyers in America
- Free consultation, no fee unless we win
- $4.1 million car crash settlement
Find us at 4 Indiana Ave, Valparaiso, IN 46383. To talk through the civil side of a crash like this, call 219-245-5881 or use our contact form.
