PORTER CO- Monday morning at approximately 4:00 a.m., Trooper Jace Haddon observed a white Audi traveling at 110 mph in the construction zone eastbound on I-94 at the 16-mile marker. This is near the Lake/Porter County line.
Trooper Haddon made a traffic stop on the Audi, which pulled over west of the Burns Harbor exit. As Trooper Haddon walked up to the Audi, the driver drove off at a high speed, and a pursuit was initiated. The driver pulled over a second time on the inside shoulder, and as Trooper Haddon was conducting a felony stop on the suspect, the driver drove away at high speed. This time, the driver drove across all travel lanes, and the Audi was struck by a semi while traveling eastbound. The Audi came to rest on the ramp to the Burns Harbor/Porter exit. The driver of the semi was not injured.
While attempting to take the two occupants of the vehicle into custody, the driver again ran back to the car, and after a brief struggle, Trooper Haddon was able to place the driver in handcuffs. During a subsequent search of the vehicle, troopers located a fully automatic Glock 45 9mm with a switch and $15,980 in cash.
The driver, Brandan Williams, 19, from Rockford, IL, was incarcerated at the Porter County Jail and is preliminarily charged with the following offenses:
- Possession of a Machine Gun- Level 5 Felony
- Resisting Law Enforcement with a Vehicle- Level 6 Felony
- Resisting Law Enforcement- Class A Misdemeanor
- Recklessly Operating a Vehicle in a Work Zone with Workers Present- Class A Misdemeanor
The passenger, Marega Yussuf, 19, from Chicago, IL, was incarcerated at the Porter County Jail and is charged with Possession of a Machine Gun- Level 5 Felony.
All suspects are presumed innocent until/unless proven guilty in court. Agencies assisting are Burns Harbor Police, Porter County Sheriff’s Department, and Joe’s Towing.
