A Portage man is on trial this week after allegedly driving drunk the wrong way against the Lake Station Independence Day parade route last year.
Richard Yakel, 57, is charged with battery by means of a deadly weapon, criminal recklessness committed with a deadly weapon, resisting law enforcement, and four misdemeanors. He has pleaded not guilty.
Charging documents allege Yakel came “extremely close” to hitting several groups of people, clipped Lake Station Fire Chief Chuck Fazekas’ back with his vehicle’s mirror and came two feet from hitting a toddler girl collecting candy in the grass.
Witness Amanda Herrera testified Monday she managed to take the keys out of the vehicle and place them on the hood.
“He didn’t say anything,” she told Deputy Prosecutor Keith Anderson.
She told herself to calm down, forcing herself to consider at first that he could have some medical condition.
“I could smell the alcohol at this point,” she said.
On cross-examination, defense lawyer Kirk Marrie asked if she saw Yakel hit anyone.
No, Herrera said, but she didn’t know what happened out of her sight.
New Chicago Detective Bradley Rivera wrote in a charging affidavit he was cruising in the parade around 5:30 p.m. July 3, 2025, when an “older” model red Ford Expedition was driving the opposite way, even though Central Avenue was blocked off and the parade was still going on.
Several people were trying to flag him down.
Rivera made a U-turn, but Yakel didn’t pull over for 6-9 blocks, according to the affidavit.
When the vehicle slowed for a group of kids, Rivera boxed him in. He yelled for Yakel to put the SUV in park. Yakel responded after Rivera drew his gun. He refused to get out of the vehicle. Rivera pulled him out, then forced him to sit down. Yakel had bloodshot, watery eyes. He claimed he drank six beers.
“I’m sorry, man, I’m just drunk,” Yakel told police.
He failed several field sobriety tests at the jail — including the one-leg stand. Lake Station Officer C. Boney got a warrant for a blood draw. His blood alcohol content came back at 0.355% — more than four times the legal limit.
Yakel told police he was watching the parade near Central Avenue and Grand Boulevard when he decided to leave, knowing the parade was still going on.