Man charged with stealing auto carrying 3 people

(MUNSTER, Ind.) A man has been charged with stealing a vehicle that had three people inside in northwest Indiana Sunday.

Parris D. Tillotson, 23, displayed a weapon and wore a mask when he stole a vehicle carrying three people about 3:50 a.m. near the 300 block of Beacon, Munster police said in a statement.

Tillotson then drove to neighboring Hammond, Ind., but soon crashed the vehicle into a light pole at 167th Street and Columbia, police said.

He then exited the vehicle and a foot pursuit ensued through a cemetery before he was apprehended by officers, police said.

Tillotson, of Hammond, was charged Monday with six counts of kidnapping, two counts of armed robbery, one count of auto theft and one count of felony fleeing, police said.

He is currently being held at Lake County Jail, police said.