Intoxicated driver leads ISP on chase through La Porte County

LA PORTE COUNTY, Ind. -- An Indiana State Trooper patrolling I-94 near the Porter and La Porte County line early Saturday morning clocked a Toyota SUV going over 110 mph without any headlights or taillights, and when the trooper attempted to pull the vehicle over, a chase began.

A little after 1:30 a.m. on June 29, Trooper Nicholas Isajczuk initiated a traffic stop on the SUV, but the driver fled, passing other vehicles on the shoulder of the interstate.

"Trooper Isajczuk initiated a pursuit of the SUV as it exited the interstate and went northbound on U.S. 421, fleeing into Michigan City," the ISP report states. "The pursuit continued back west on U.S. 20, finally stopping in front of the Pilot Truck Stop on U.S. 20 in Porter. The driver was taken into custody and further observations led officers to suspect the driver was impaired."

After a certified chemical test, the driver, 26-year-old Ahamed Ahrar, of Mechanicsburg, Pa., was found to have a blood alcohol level of .09 percent.

"The investigation also revealed that the passenger had been asking the driver to pull over, but that the driver refused to stop fleeing from law enforcement," ISP said.

That passenger was identified as 32-year-old Joshua C. Reed, of Chicago. Reed was found to be in possession of Ketamine and was arrested. He is charged with felony possession of a controlled substance and was incarcerated at the LaPorte County Jail.

Ahrar was charged with:

• Criminal Confinement with a Vehicle- Level 6 Felony
• Resisting Law Enforcement with a Vehicle- Level 6 Felony
• Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated with a Prior Conviction- Level 6 Felony
• Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated Endangering- Class A Misdemeanor
• Operating a Vehicle with a BAC of .08 but less then .15- Class C Misdemeanor
• Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated- Class C Misdemeanor
• Reckless Driving- Class C Misdemeanor

He is currently incarcerated at the LaPorte County Jail