Local News

Fatality Linked to Domestic Violence Claim

(Michigan City, IN) - It now appears a fatal motor vehicle crash involving a teenager at Ames Field in Michigan City last night stemmed from a domestic dispute.

           

Grant Grabel, 18, was from Bourbonnais, Ill, a village about 60 miles south of Chicago.

 

During a police chase, Grabel's vehicle went through the brick wall on the stadium's north side. The vehicle came to rest under the bleachers, which were heavily damaged in that section of the stadium home to the Michigan City High School football team.

 

"It went through the brick wall and under the bleachers, and that's where it ended up stopping," said LaPorte County Coroner Lynn Swanson.

 

Swanson also revealed he was apparently in Michigan City to visit his girlfriend.

 

At about 7:30 p.m., Michigan City Police said a juvenile reported a domestic battery. The adult male suspect in the alleged violence met with officers in the lobby of the Michigan City Police Department to return the property to the juvenile, police said.

 

Officers tried to gather additional information from the male, but he fled on foot and entered a vehicle. Grabel took off and refused to stop and crashed into Ames Field after starting to flee.

 

Indiana State Police were brought in to investigate the crash.

 

According to Indiana State Police, the preliminary investigation shows Grabel about 8 p.m., was traveling eastbound in the westbound lanes of Michigan Boulevard, a four-lane highway that runs past the police station.

 

Michigan City Police tried pulling over the vehicle, but the driver refused to stop, triggering the pursuit. The chase went down multiple city streets at "relatively low speeds" until reaching Washington Street, where the driver accelerated, police said.

 

Police said Grable was traveling at high speeds when he failed to stop at the intersection with Skiwat Legion Avenue. His vehicle then struck the concrete pillars outside Ames Field and went airborne before crashing through the stadium wall, police said.

 

According to police, Grable had to be extricated from the vehicle. Life-saving measures were applied, but he was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.

 

Indiana State Police is investigating the crash and reconstructing the scene at the request of the Michigan City Police Department. 

 

Swanson said whether the driver had consumed alcohol or drugs is pending the toxicology test results.  

 

Michigan City Police said further information related to the domestic violence report would not be released to protect the integrity of the ongoing investigation.

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