A Hammond police officer was charged Thursday in connection with an Oct. 16 fatal crash while he was off duty last week.
Alonso Jose Lopez, 34, of Hammond, is charged with causing death while operating a vehicle while intoxicated, a Level 4 felony, and reckless homicide, a Level 5 felony.
An Indiana State Police investigation indicated that at around 8:55 p.m. Friday, October 16, a black 2024 Chevrolet Silverado speeding north on the 6400 block of Columbia Avenue in Hammond crossed 165th Avenue and struck a silver 2021 Toyota Highlander attempting to enter Columbia from a nearby business parking lot, ISP Spokesman Sgt. Glen Fifield said in a release Monday. The Chevrolet then swung into the southbound lanes of Columbia Avenue, where a gray 2010 Ford SUV hit it, Fifield said.
The Toyota, of which the Chevy’s impact heavily damaged its driver’s side, crashed into a fence west of Columbia Avenue, Fifield said. The person driving the Ford was taken to a local hospital and released.
The driver of the Toyota, who the Lake County Coroner’s office identified as Thomas Hunt, 73, of Gary, was pronounced dead at Community Hospital, according to a release from the office.
At the hospital, Lopez provided a breath sample, which tested at a .118% blood alcohol level, according to the probable cause affidavit. A blood draw was taken and tested at the Indiana State Toxicology Department; Results were not included in court documents.
A witness told police that he was outside his vehicle at the McDonald’s that faced the intersection when he saw Lopez’s truck disregard a red light as it traveled north on Columbia Avenue, records state. He estimated Lopez’s truck was traveling between 60 and 70 mph. Camera footage showed that Lopez’s truck approached the stale green light at 165th Street at a high rate of speed, which changed to yellow as the truck went through the intersection, court records state.
Lopez told police that the Toyota pulled out in front of him from the Menards parking lot. Lopez said he tried to brake but crashed into the Toyota, the affidavit states.
At the hospital, the officer said Lopez smelled like alcohol and had red, watery eyes and his words were slurred. He also had blood near his nose and mouth, records state. When asked how he was, he replied, “I’m good man it is what it is.”
Lopez said he was on his way to work at the Hammond Police Department when the crash happened, as his shift started at 9 p.m., court records state. He said that he had consumed four beers “or so” and stopped drinking around 4:30 p.m.
The driver of the Ford told police that he was heading south on Columbia when he saw the Toyota pulling out of the McDonald’s parking lot, the affidavit states. He said he was 99% sure that the light was red when the truck passed through the intersection and he estimated that the truck was traveling double the posted 35 mph speed limit. The driver of the Ford said that he saw Lopez get out of his truck and “his mouth was bleeding and he was staggering a little bit,” court records state. He also smelled alcohol on Lopez.
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