Sheriff’s police SUV struck in northwest Indiana 3-vehicle crash

A Porter County Sheriff’s officer was involved in a three-vehicle crash Saturday in northwest Indiana.

About 7:55 a.m., the officer was in a fully marked 2016 Ford Explorer police car stopped in the left lane of U.S. 20 headed east to turn north onto Brummitt Road in Chesterton, Indiana, according to a statement from Indiana State Police.

A 2012 Kia Sportage was stopped behind the police SUV when it was struck by a 1993 Dodge Dakota pickup truck that failed to stop, police said. The Kia was pushed into the right lane and came to a stop facing northeast, while the Dakota continued forward, striking the police car.

The officer and his K-9 partner were not injured, police said. The 53-year-old driver and 59-year-old passenger of the Kia were taken to Franciscan Hospital in Chesterton, Indiana to be treated for pain.

A 32-year-old Michigan City, Indiana, resident who was driving the Dakota, was not inured and was cited for following too closely, police said.