Porter County-A charge of carjacking were filed on Gary Chavez, 57 of Knox, Indiana who was pursued by numerous police agencies after allegedly being involved in a homicide in the city of Knox and multiple carjackings last Friday.
On June 6th, 2014, Chavez left that residence in Knox in a personal vehicle and carjacked two other vehicles in two different locations in Starke County thereafter. After carjacking the last vehicle, a 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee, he drove west on State Road 8 until that vehicle broke down in front of a residence in the 200 block of west S.R. 8 in Porter County. Two males who were leaving the residence in a 1988 GMC Sierra pick-up stopped to see if they could be of any assistance and Chavez implied that he had a weapon and took the Sierra. The two males were not harmed and called Porter County 911 at 4:04 p.m. to report the carjacking.
Hebron Police saw the Sierra pick-up at S.R. 8 and 600 South and began a pursuit. Porter County Sheriff Department joined the pursuit shortly thereafter. The pursuit crossed numerous county roads until the Sierra went west bound on 109th by this time Lake County Sheriff’s Department and their aircraft Eagle One had joined in. Stop sticks were thrown out at Maine and 109th by Crown Point Police where the Sierra was unable to avoid them causing two of his tires to deflate. Indiana State Police had shut down the entire interchange of 109th and I-65 during this time.
The Sierra went north bound on the I-65 south bound to 109th exit and attempted to make a U-turn to go south on I-65 when it lost control and got stuck in the gravel between the interstate and the ramp. As police closed in on the Sierra Chavez shot himself once. He was taken to Saint Anthony’s Hospital in Crown Point and later airlifted to Christ Hospital in Oak Lawn, Illinois in critical condition.
Chavez was charged in Porter County with:
One count of Car Jacking, Class C Felony
Additional charges may be forthcoming
All charges related to what occurred in Starke County will be released by Starke County Sheriff’s Department when they become available.
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All criminal defendants are to be presumed innocent until, and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
