Police: Chicago man ran from troopers on Indiana Toll Road

A Chicago man ran across all lanes of traffic on the Indiana Toll Road to escape arrest Tuesday evening, according to state police.

About 6:15 p.m. at the Portage Toll Barrier, troopers pulled over a black Nissan Maxama that had been reported to be driving erratically, according to Indiana State Police.

The troopers smelled a strong odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle and identified the passenger as 30-year-old Kevin Thunderbird of Chicago, police said.

However, a second ID with Thunderbird’s picture but a different name was also found.

A search turned up 30 more plastic cards, each with a magnetic strip. Thunderbird’s explanation of the cards and why he had them was “suspicious,” police said.

Then, as troopers questioned him, he suddenly ran.

Thunderbird ran across all lanes of traffic of the toll road into ditch south of the roadway and then into a field of tall grass, police said. A trooper followed, but Thunderbird took an “aggressive fighting stance,” police said. The trooper tackled him to the ground, but Thunderbird ignored commands to stop resisting.

After a brief struggle, the trooper took him into custody and he was taken to the Porter County Jail, police said. He was charged with felony counts of fraud and forgery, and a misdemeanor count of resisting arrest.

The driver of the vehicle, 21-year-old Alexis Robinson of Chicago, was cited for operating a motor vehicle without being licensed, police said. The vehicle was towed to the Lowell State Police Post.

The U.S. Secret Service is assisting with the investigation.