Possible charges against the driver Portage police said is responsible for a six-car crash in which a Duneland teacher died in early November are being held up while the Porter County Prosecutor’s Office awaits medical records for the driver from the University of Chicago Medical Center.
“Our findings, up to this point, have been forwarded to the Porter County Prosecutor’s Office for review. However, it is my understanding the Prosecutor’s Office is still awaiting the delivery of medical records related to this case,” Portage Police Chief Michael Candiano said in a statement Tuesday, adding the information is vital and will be used to determine what charges may or may not be applicable.
Portage police have concluded their investigation of the fatal crash, Candiano said in the statement, in which he also defended the department’s decision not to release the name of the driver believed to be responsible until charges are filed.
A spokeswoman for the Chicago hospital was not immediately available.
Eighth grade English teacher Lauren Thompson, 24, died in a six-vehicle wreck the evening of Nov. 8 at Willowcreek and Lute Road that police said was likely caused by a speeding SUV. Thompson, of Valparaiso, was in her second year as a teacher at Chesterton Middle School.
Porter County Prosecutor Gary Germann said Wednesday that a hospital compliance issue is preventing the hospital from releasing the medical records his office needs and officials there “will not honor our Indiana subpoena.”
“We are in the process of contacting the Cook County State’s Attorney’s office to domesticate our subpoena. It’s a process,” he said, adding Chief Deputy Prosecutor Armando Salinas and Deputy Prosecutor Christopher Hammer are working on the matter.
Thompson died at the scene of the crash in which two people also were injured, police have said. The driver of the SUV that police said caused the collision, a 42-year-old man from Portage who has not been identified, suffered serious head and internal injuries and had to be extricated from his vehicle.
The Portage Police Crash Investigation Team has completed its portion of the investigation, Candiano said, including interviewing witnesses, reconstructing the crash, analyzing evidence found at the scene and reviewing video footage. Investigators also executed search warrants to obtain information from the suspect vehicle’s onboard computer system as well as the event data recorder, commonly referred to as the “black box.” Any further information or evidence also will be investigated.
“Some have asked why Lauren Thompson’s name was released but not the other driver,” Candiano said, adding it’s not the department’s policy to release the names of people involved in motor vehicle crashes unless an arrest is made or a summons to appear is issued.
“Prematurely releasing the suspect’s identifying information creates a substantial liability for this police agency,” he said, adding that though many people have “a strong emotional investment” in the case and hope to learn the identity of the driver, “The driver suspected of being at fault in this tragic incident will be identified, as required by state law, when an arrest is made.”
Thompson’s information was not made publicly available by the Portage Police Department, Candiano said, adding state statute requires the county coroner to release the name, age, sex, address and race of all deceased persons upon request and that release was done in accordance with state law.
“Again, we wish to express our condolences to all those whose lives have been tragically affected by this crash,” Candiano said.