Times Staff Report
VALPARAISO | A 15-year-old Louisiana girl was killed Wednesday in a crash in which the driver of the car she was riding in was fleeing from police and hit a semitrailer, police said.
The driver, a 16-year-old Valparaiso boy, is under guard at a local hospital and is expected to be charged today.
The crash occurred at 2:15 p.m. at the intersection of Ind. 49 and County Road 400 North, also known as Vale Park Road.
Three other teens were in the car. The driver, who police did not name, was wanted on a warrant for violating his juvenile probation.
Brandie N. Broussard, the left back-seat passenger, died from internal injuries, Porter County police Sgt. Timothy Emmons said in a news release. Rachel McNeil, 16, the front-seat passenger, suffered internal injuries, and Robert D. Norris, 17, the right back-seat passenger, had bone fractures and internal injuries. Broussard, McNeil and Norris were from Metairie, La., a suburb of New Orleans.
Emmons said the four were acquaintances, but he didn't know why the teens from Louisiana were in Porter County.
Police said the incident began when a Porter County detective went to a home on Vale Park Road to speak to the Valparaiso boy who was wanted for questioning in a series of burglaries in the Hebron area and also was wanted for violating probation. The boy has previous convictions on charges of theft, receiving stolen property and false informing.
Emmons said Detective Sgt. Jeff Biggs was speaking to the 16-year-old's mother when the teen drove up in a red 1994 Saturn, saw police and drove off.
Biggs stopped the car a short distance away. When Biggs approached the car, the driver sped off, traveling north on Silhavy Road and then east on Vale Park Road.
As Biggs tried to catch up with the car, the driver ran a red light at Ind. 49, struck the fuel tank of a semitrailer and became wedged. The fuel tank of the semi ruptured, and fuel spilled onto the car and road.
Biggs, Officer Gene Hopkins and several medics attempted to remove the driver and passengers. The driver began fighting with police and Hopkins suffered a deep cut on his wrist, Emmons said.
Once the driver and two passengers were removed, Valparaiso firefighters began a long and complicated effort to extricate Broussard, who was in the back seat. She suffered severe injuries and later died at Porter hospital in Valparaiso, police said.
The driver of the semi was identified by police as John J. Williams, 35, of Toledo. He and witnesses told police he drove on a green light on Ind. 49. Police said he tested negative for alcohol.
The Valparaiso boy who was driving is under guard at Porter hospital in Valparaiso. He was uncooperative with police and refused to provide a blood sample, Emmons said. Police obtained the sample after getting a warrant.
Charges against the teen driver are expected to be filed today.
