(La Porte County, IN) - Police arrested an individual suspected of drunk driving who was headed the wrong way on a four-lane state highway last night in the Rolling Prairie area.

 

Before 8 p.m., La Porte County Police received multiple reports of a Chevy Tahoe headed westbound in the eastbound lanes of Indiana 2, with the investigation also noting that the driver went through a yard, struck a mailbox, and fled on 350 East.

 

Within minutes, a sheriff’s deputy located and stopped the vehicle in the area of Scholl Road and 150 North. The driver, identified as Jose Maldonado-Collado, 50, of Rolling Prairie was often combative and quickly was handcuffed as a precaution for the safety of officers.

 

After being placed into the front passenger of a police vehicle, he allegedly kicked the windshield several times, banging his head against the passenger side window according to the sheriff’s office.

 

He refused to submit to a certified breathalyzer test, which led to his automatic arrest under state law for Operating a Vehicle while Intoxicated. At the time of the incident, he allegedly had a strong odor of alcohol on his breath and two unopened Fireball cinnamon whiskey bottles in his possession.