Hammond
CRIME & SAFETY
Driver killed in high-speed, rear-end collision with box truck on I-80 in Lake County: state police
LAKE COUNTY, Ind. - A driver is dead after rear-ending a box truck on I-80 in Lake County early Saturday morning, according to Indiana State Police. The crash happened at 2:30 a.m. on I-80/94 eastbound near the 8-mile marker, between Burr and Grant Street. A 2024 Honda Civic was heading...
Three charged in murder of Chicago firefighter
Three men have been charged in connection with the 2023 murder of a Chicago firefighter and associated financial crimes. Nicholas Virgil, 37, a resident of the 14200 block of South Stewart Avenue in Riverdale, and Martez Cristler, 22, a resident of the 6800 block of Baring Avenue in Hammond, Ind., were both charged with three counts of murder, one count of aggravated arson and two counts of arson in connection with the death of Chicago firefighter Jermaine Pelt.
Gary pair sign plea in 2020 Black Oak murder
Two Gary men signed plea deals Thursday in a 2020 murder. Mark Windsheimer, 31, and Christopher Dukes, 20, both pleaded guilty to reckless homicide, a Level 5 felony in the Sept. 3, 2020, shooting death of Landen Cowart, 38, of Gary. Windsheimer and Dukes each face 1-6 years. Their original murder charge alone carried a 45-65 year penalty each. Each man’s sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 3. ...
Feds give Merrillville man nearly 8 years for selling cocaine
A federal judge sentenced a Merrillville man Thursday to 92 months — or nearly eight years — for selling cocaine, U.S. Attorney Clifford Johnson said in a release. Eric Crosslin, 37, signed a plea deal on one count of distribution of cocaine. He will serve three years on supervised release after prison. Court records allege the feds caught Crosslin selling cocaine six times from September to ...
Hobart man acquitted in child molesting case; guilty of misdemeanor battery
A Hobart man got a split verdict Tuesday in a child molesting case. Carlos Villarreal, 39, of Hobart, was acquitted of child molesting but convicted on a misdemeanor battery charge, his lawyer Steve Haddad said. His sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 15. In a charging affidavit, Hobart Police wrote the preteen girl told her parents Villarreal had been “touching” her several times in summer and ...
Gage Park Man Who Spent 21 Years in Prison Now the 45th Person to be Exonerated After Being Framed by Disgraced Ex-Detective
A Cook County judge exonerated on Thursday a Gage Park man who spent 21 years in prison after being convicted of a 1988 murder, making him the 45th person to be wrongfully convicted based on evidence developed by a now-disgraced former Chicago Police detective. Edwin Ortiz, who is now 51...
Indiana man learns sentence after trafficking 15 guns to Cook County
CHICAGO - An Indiana man was sentenced to federal prison this week for trafficking 15 guns from Indianapolis to the Chicago area in 2022. Devante T. Brown, 29, of Indianapolis, pleaded guilty earlier this year to a federal firearm charge. According to federal prosecutors, Brown and a co-defendant, Corey Sartin,...
3 Computers Stolen 1 Suspect on the Loose: Brazen Heist Rocks Leighton Criminal Courthouse in Chicago!
Authorities Pursue Suspect in Cook County Courthouse Computer Theft. Law Enforcement Faces Challenges in Identifying Culprit Behind Brazen Heist. According to FOX32 CHICAGO, in a bold heist at the Leighton Criminal Courthouse in Chicago authorities are intensively searching for a person of interest who allegedly stole computers from the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office earlier this week. The incident came to light on Tuesday when courthouse staff discovered that several computers were missing prompting immediate concerns about the security protocols within the typically well-guarded premises. Security footage released by the Cook County Sheriff’s Office captured the suspect moving through the courthouse lobby with apparent ease, pushing a utility cart concealed under a blue blanket.
Alsip, IL – Bomb Squad Inspects Suspicious Object at Alsip-Merrionette Park Library
Alsip, IL – The Alsip-Merrionette Park Public Library was temporarily closed on Friday due to the discovery of a suspicious object. The Alsip Police Department, acting out of an abundance of caution, called in the Cook County Bomb Squad to inspect the object. According to the Alsip Police Department,...
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