(La Porte County, IN) - A man grabbed at the La Porte County Jail during a dangerous pursuit is scheduled to make his initial court appearance on Friday.

 

Christopher Rodriquez, 31, is charged in La Porte Circuit Court with multiple counts including Resisting Law Enforcement and Possession of Methamphetamine.

 

La Porte County Sheriff Ron Heeg said the man probably didn’t know it was at the jail that he was possibly trying to use as a hideout after crashing his vehicle during the high speed chase.  

 

According to court documents, the early morning pursuit on February 24th began when he refused to pull over after caught speeding on U.S. 20 near Fail Road. At one point, he nearly caused several head-on collisions while traveling in the opposite lanes of U.S. 20 at more than 100 miles per hour near Michigan City.

 

Eventually, police said the fleeing driver headed toward La Porte on U.S. 35. He was near the city limits when at least one of his tires was flattened by stop sticks beside Pine Lake. Nevertheless, he suspect continued at more than 80 miles per hour toward downtown. He was on Perry Street when crashed into the Norfolk Southern tracks where the street comes to a dead end, police said. 

 

According to court documents, Rodriquez fled on foot beside the tracks until crossing Washington Street to the La Porte County Complex.  He was trying to open a door on the building when grabbed by a police officer with help from a K-9 dog.

 

The complex houses the county jail, Sheriff’s office and county government offices.

 

Police said more than 20 grams of methamphetamine along with a loaded firearm were recovered from his vehicle.

 

Heeg said the man, in his rush to get away, likely didn’t know he was at the jail since he’s from outside the area and, perhaps, had his judgement clouded by drugs.

 

Rodriquez lives about 70 miles away in Rensselaer, In.

 

“I think it’s just a case of, I’m not going to say mistaken identity but he just obviously didn’t know where he was at,” Heeg said.

 

Rodriquez is still being held on $20,000 bond pending his arraignment before Judge Tom Alevizos.