VALPARAISO | A chase from Valparaiso into Lake County ended early Tuesday after the fleeing suspect was chased down by a Valparaiso police dog.
Valparaiso police said Stephen Blazek, 20, of LaPorte, was stopped at 3:45 a.m. along U.S. 30 at Hayes Leonard Road by Officer Todd Kobitz .
Police said Blazek provided them with a false name and officers learned the vehicle he was driving was stolen.
According to police, Blazek took off west on U.S. 30. He then led police on a pursuit that turned north along several county roads in Union Township.
Police said Blazek made his way to Ind. 130 east toward Valparaiso. He continued south on Campbell and eventually made his way back to U.S. 30. From there, the pursuit turned west on U.S. 30 into Hobart and Merrillville.
The pursuit ended at Colorado Street and Sapphire Court when Blazek turned onto a dead end street, police said. Blazek then tried to run from police, but Kobitz's canine, Geist, pursued Blazek and caught him after a brief chase.
Police said numerous pieces of identification belonging to other people were found inside the vehicle along with other stolen merchandise.
Blazek was taken to Porter County Jail and charged with possession of a stolen vehicle, resisting police in a vehicle, criminal recklessness, possession of stolen property, identity deception, reckless driving and never obtaining a driver’s license.
Valparaiso police were assisted by the Porter and Lake County sheriff's departments and Indiana State Police along with the Merrillville and Hobart police departments.
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