Officials: Indiana State Police vehicle reared-ended by impaired driver

An alleged impaired driver rear-ended a police vehicle containing an Indiana State Police trooper and another alleged impaired driver, officials said.

Trooper Ala’a Hamed was sitting facing southbound out of traffic and with emergency lights on the west shoulder near the intersection of Broadway and 15th Avenue in Gary at about 12:10 a.m. Saturday with Mario L. Rodriguez, 48, of Valparaiso, officials said. Hamed had detained Rodriguez on suspicion of impaired driving, ISP spokeswoman Sgt. Ann Wojas said in a release.

Wojas said Hamed heard what sounded like a car crashing when he looked in his rear-view mirror and saw a silver Chevrolet coupe sideswipe a parked van, then ricocheted and hit the rear of his police car. That crash pushed his police car into the rear of Rodriguez’s vehicle, Wojas said.

After confirming Rodriguez was unharmed, Hamed proceeded to check on the driver of the coupe. Upon approaching, Ashley P. Brown, 36, of Hammond, allegedly tried to accelerate forward toward Hamed but couldn’t because the car was wedged into the rear of the police car, according to the release.

Brown eventually complied with Hamed’s orders to leave the her car, and after Gary EMS cleared all three of them, officers transported Rodriguez and Brown to the Lake County Jail for alleged impaired driving, officials said.

Further investigation showed Brown and Rodriguez were both impaired, officials said. Brown tested .13% BAC. on a certified test and Rodriguez tested .16% BAC. on a certified test, officials said. Both were transported and incarcerated at the Lake County Jail in Crown Point, Wojas said in the release.

Rodriguez was charged with operating while intoxicated .15% BAC, OWI endangerment, OWI per se, driving while suspended infraction and speeding. Brown was charged with: OWI endangerment, OWI with a BAC over .08%, and failure to yield to stationary emergency vehicle.

Michelle L. Quinn is a freelancer for the Daily Southtown.