An off-duty Lake County correctional officer was killed early Saturday morning in a crash in Schererville.
According to a news release from the Lake County Sheriff’s Department, the officer was driving near the intersection of U.S. 30 and Austin Avenue in Schererville when his car was struck by another vehicle. The officer, who was identified as 58-year-old Ronald T. Jones, was flown to a Chicago hospital where he later died.
Jones had worked as a correctional officer at the Lake County Jail for nearly 9 years, the release said.
Police said the driver of the other vehicle fled the scene on foot, and a search for that driver is ongoing. Schererville Police Department is investigating the crash, according to the release.
Jones is survived by two adult children.
Sheriff Oscar Martinez Jr. said Jones’ coworkers remember him as a kind, dedicated man who performed his duties with an exceptional level of professionalism. The Sheriff’s department expressed condolences to Jones’ family and friends.
