1 dead, 2 others injured after crash involving off-duty police officer

HAMMOND, Indiana — One person is dead, and two others were injured after a crash in Indiana that involved an off-duty police officer.

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The crash happened around 8:55 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 16, on Columbia Avenue in Hammond, Indiana, according to a press release from the Indiana State Police (ISP).

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The preliminary investigation indicates that a black Chevrolet Silverado was traveling northbound on Columbia Avenue at a high rate of speed.

The vehicle crossed 165th Avenue and struck a silver Toyota Highlander that was attempting to enter Columbia Avenue from a nearby business parking lot, according to the ISP.

The impact caused catastrophic damage to the driver’s side of the Toyota.

The Chevrolet then rotated into the southbound lanes of Columbia Avenue, where it was struck by a gray Ford SUV.

The Toyota crashed into a fence west of Columbia Avenue, according to the ISP.

The driver of the Toyota, whose identity has not yet been released, succumbed to their injuries.

The drivers of the Chevrolet and the Ford were transported to an area hospital for treatment and were later released.

The driver of the Chevrolet, Hammond Police Officer Alonso J. Lopez, 34, of Hammond, was off duty at the time of the crash and was taken into custody after voluntarily submitting to a blood draw.

Lopez was transported to the Lake County Jail and held on a 48-hour probable cause hold.

He was later released pending further investigation by the Indiana State Police Crash Reconstruction Unit and the results of the blood analysis.

Alcohol and excessive speed are believed to have contributed to the crash.

The case will be submitted to the Lake County Prosecutor’s Office for review and consideration of felony charges once the investigation is complete.

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