Man Charged With DUI, Drugs, Carjacking After Spree on I-80

Lake County, Ind. - Midlothian man Douglas Schroeder was charged with four traffic offenses, with other charges likely to follow, after causing a spate of mayhem on the roads in northwest Indiana early Wednesday. The man totaled a car he was driving, a semi truck, used physical force to try to carjack two other vehicles, and in police custody a substance identified as cocaine fell out of his pocket.

Four police agencies took part in the incident and ensuing investigation.

The action started about 2:40 a.m., when Indiana State Police Troopers Brian Rubesha and Marcus Gholson were sent to a crash on westbound I-80 at Cline Avenue, according to a release from Indiana State Police.

The preliminary investigation revealed that a 1995 Chevrolet Monte Carlo driven by Schroeder, 28 of Midlothian, was coming off the ramp from northbound Cline to I-80 westbound. Instead of merging onto the interstate, the Monte Carlo cut across the gore area (the solid white-striped lines that separate the ramp from the interstate), went across two lanes of westbound traffic and hit a semi tractor-box trailer that was west in the right center lane. There are four lanes in this area, the release pointed out.

The Monte Carlo went under the trailer near the front, causing the semi to lose control, jackknife, and as it went to the right, hit a concrete barrier wall on the outer shoulder. This knocked a 3x3 piece of concrete from it, then the tractor portion rolled onto its drivers' side, the release said.

The driver of the 2008 Peterbilt semi-box trailer, Jose L. Zauala, 56 of El Paso, Texas, was able to get out of the semi with no injuries. Zauala was carrying for Southwest Freightline out of El Paso, Texas and was not loaded at the time of the crash, the release said.

Both the Monte Carlo and the Peterbilt semi were a total loss.

A witness told police that they had seen a male dragging a female from the scene of the crash. A Lake County Sheriff’s deputy was first on scene and found a highly intoxicated and incoherent woman lying in a pool of motor oil not far from the Chevrolet.

Another witness stated that the male had took off running south across both the west and eastbound lanes of I-80, hopped the fence line there, went across to a business on 179th and attempted to carjack at least two vehicles using physical force. The Lake County Sheriff’s deputy was able to give a good description of Schroeder so that the Griffith, Ind. police were able to apprehend him. They transported him back to I-80 so he could be taken into state police custody, and while Schroeder was getting out of the Griffith police car a substance -- later tested positive for cocaine -- fell in their police car.

Schroeder and his female passenger were taken to Munster Community Hospital where he refused treatment for his scrapes and abrasions, the release said. The female remained at the hospital Wednesday morning because of her high state of intoxication.

Three lanes of I-80 westbound were closed until 4:30 a.m. for investigation of the crash, its cleanup, and the removal of Schroeder's passenger.

The incident and investigation involved the Indiana State Police, Lake County Indiana Sheriff’s Department, Griffith and Hammond police departments.

Schroeder was charged with: Driving under the influence -- endangerment, a Class A misdemeanor; leaving the scene of a property damage crash -- a Class C misdemeanor; driving while suspended -- an infraction, and unsafe lane movement.

He was taken to Lake County Jail and faces charged relating to the carjacking and drug possession, as well.

The Hammond Police Department will be handling the carjacking charges and the Griffith Police Department will be handling the cocaine charges, the release said.