Starke County-Master Trooper Mike Hemphill’s traffic stop turned into a chase when a driver took off after being stopped for a traffic violation.

Early this afternoon, at approximately 12:45 p.m., Trooper Hemphill was east on U.S. 35 when he saw a 1995 Mitsubishi station wagon going west on U.S. 30 in Starke County at a high rate of speed.  He was able to get the Mitsubishi on radar at 90 M.P.H. in a well posted 60 M.P.H. zone.

When he pulled the vehicle over the driver, later identified as Michael J. Ostrowski, 28 of Loves Park, Illinois, stated he had no driver’s license or identification on him.  He was able to produce a registration but stated he was not the owner of the vehicle but identifying information that was written on the back of it was him.  During this exchange Hemphill noticed Ostrowski had a wallet lying in his lap. As Hemphill was walking back to his police car he noticed Ostrowski throw something out the passenger window.  When he retrieved the article Ostrowski denied throwing it out.  Hemphill then asked to see his wallet and Ostrowski gave it to him. It was then that Hemphill found an Illinois identification card with Ostrowski name and picture on it.  Even with this ID card in hand Ostrowski still denied it was him. Ostrowski then fled in his Mitsubishi.

A LaPorte County Deputy threw out stop sticks about a mile east of US 421 which Ostrowski evaded.  As Ostrowski entered Porter County stop sticks were thrown out again near 450 E; to evade them Ostrowski went through the median and went westbound in the eastbound lanes of U.S. 30 for approximately a mile before crossing back onto west bound U.S. 30. At this time Porter County Sheriff Deputies and Valparaiso Police had shut down traffic in this area. As the Mitsubishi approached State Road 49 it did hit stop sticks but continued west on U.S. 30.

Hemphill decided to stop his pursuit of the Mitsubishi at this time due to the amount of fully marked police cars that had joined the chase (Hemphill is in an unmarked police car) and traffic.

Porter County Sheriff Deputies were able to keep sight of Ostrowski when his Mitsubishi station wagon finally broke down and arrested him at U.S. 30 and State Road 51 in Lake County.

Ostrowski was transported and incarcerated at Porter County Jail where Porter County Sheriff Department has charged him with Possession of Paraphernalia and Resisting Law Enforcement. 

Indiana State Police charges in Starke, LaPorte and Lake Counties are pending.
 
Agencies assisting:  LaPorte County Sheriff Department, Porter County Sheriff Department,  Valparaiso Police Department and Indiana State Police Detective Jennifer Richmond

All criminal defendants are to be presumed innocent until, and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.