Source: PHOTO: Chris Davis/Emmis
CROWN POINT, Ind. (WISH) — An Illinois man died after fleeing from police during a traffic stop, crashing into a semi Monday afternoon on Interstate 80/94 in Lake County.
A state trooper performed a traffic stop on a gray 2012 Kia Optima just east of the Lake Station exit ramp just after 1:40 p.m. The driver of the Kia, identified as 20-year-old Bryan Flores from Round Lake, IL, fled as the trooper was walking to speak with him, according to police.
The trooper returned to his police car and was going to initiate a pursuit. However, the trooper pulled over on the interstate and decided not to pursue Flores due to the high traffic volume.
At 1:45 p.m., Indiana State Police Regional Dispatch Lowell Post received 911 calls of a serious crash on I-90/94 at the 12.8 mile marker. Callers reported that a gray Kia Optima had rear-ended a semi while traveling at a high rate of speed.
Police say that Flores was ejected from the vehicle and sustained life-threatening injuries. He was transported by helicopter to a trauma hospital in Illinois, where he later died.
Investigators at the scene discovered two large duffle bags filled with marijuana in the trunk of the Kia. Police also determined the Kia that crashed was the same vehicle that was pulled over near the Lake Station exit.
The driver of the semi was not injured during the crash.
