A woman who was arrested by the LaPorte County Sheriff’s Office lost her life in a dramatic incident that involved escaping from custody, taking over a police car, and crashing it into a ditch. The suspect, identified as Melissa Collins, 21, from Lafayette, Indiana, was able to manipulate her handcuffs and drive away from the scene in the stolen vehicle.
How the incident unfolded
According to Indiana State Police, the incident occurred on Wednesday night, when Collins was handcuffed and secured in the front passenger seat of a 2021 Ford Explorer police car assigned to LaPorte County Deputy David Grimberg. Collins was able to unbuckle her seatbelt, move the handcuffs to the front of her body, and take control of the police car. She then drove away from the scene at a high speed, leaving the deputy behind.
Officers attempted to catch up to the stolen police car but lost sight of it. While they were looking for the stolen vehicle, they came upon debris in the road in the area of 2100 South and 875 West. A short time later, they found the stolen vehicle submerged in water in a ditch. Collins was found inside the vehicle and later pronounced dead by the LaPorte County Coroner’s Office.
The cause of the crash
Police believe that the vehicle crashed after crossing a set of railroad tracks at an extremely high rate of speed. The impact caused the vehicle to go airborne and land in the water-filled ditch. The vehicle was severely damaged and partially submerged. Police had to use a tow truck to pull the vehicle out of the water.
Police are still investigating the incident and the circumstances that led to Collins’ arrest. They have not released any details on why Collins was taken into custody or what charges she was facing. They have also not disclosed if Collins had any prior criminal history or mental health issues.
The reaction from the authorities
The LaPorte County Sheriff’s Office expressed its condolences to Collins’ family and friends in a statement. The sheriff’s office also thanked the Indiana State Police, the LaPorte County Coroner’s Office, and other agencies that assisted in the investigation and recovery of the vehicle.
The sheriff’s office said that the incident was a tragic reminder of the dangers that law enforcement officers face every day. The sheriff’s office also said that it would review its policies and procedures to prevent similar incidents from happening in the future.
The Indiana State Police said that the incident was a rare and unfortunate event that resulted in a loss of life. The state police said that they would conduct a thorough and impartial investigation to determine the facts and circumstances of the incident.
