A Friday afternoon police pursuit in Portage ended in a violent rollover crash at Willowcreek Road and U.S. Highway 6, injuring four people and choking traffic through one of the city’s busiest corridors. The fleeing vehicle rolled, hit a tree, then slammed into other cars before finally stopping in a nearby parking lot, according to police.
Officers were first sent to a home on Fiesta Avenue earlier in the day after reports of threats and an alleged protection-order violation, but they initially did not locate the suspect. They were called back around 3:45 p.m., and as officers arrived they spotted the suspect vehicle. An officer who tried to pull it over says the driver made a U-turn at 700 North, then bolted. The driver reportedly blew through a red light at the U.S. 6 intersection, struck an oncoming car, left the roadway at the northeast corner, hit a tree, rolled several times and then crashed into another vehicle in a parking lot, as reported by ABC7 Chicago.
At the scene
Emergency crews treated several people as stunned drivers watched the wreckage unfold into rush hour. The driver of the fleeing vehicle was ejected and airlifted to a hospital. A female passenger from that car and a person in the parking-lot vehicle were hospitalized with what police described as minor injuries. The driver of the vehicle struck in the intersection was treated on scene and released. Investigators remained at the intersection working to piece together the exact sequence that led to the rollover.
Investigation underway
Portage police say the crash is still under investigation and have not yet released the names of those involved or said whether charges will follow. ABC7 Chicago reports that officers were conducting follow-up at the Fiesta Avenue home where the initial call originated.
Local context
The Willowcreek and U.S. 6 junction is a busy, crash-prone stretch that has seen serious collisions before. The Chicago Sun-Times previously reported a fatal hit-and-run at that same intersection, a reminder of how bad things can get when high speeds meet heavy traffic. Nearby outlets have also documented recent high-speed pursuits in Porter County, including a May chase that ended when a vehicle plowed into a Portage home, per WNDU.
Portage police are asking anyone who witnessed the chase or captured video of it to contact the department. This story will be updated as authorities release more details.
