A Chicago woman is in custody after police said she crashed into the weigh station on Interstate 94 east of Chesterton on Saturday, causing thousands of dollars in damages.
The woman, 28, is being held in Porter County Jail on a charge of operating while intoxicated refusal, according to a release from the Indiana State Police, Lowell Post. The Post-Tribune is not naming her because she has not been formally charged.
An ISP trooper responded on Jan. 18 to a report of a single-vehicle crash at the eastbound scale house on I-94, east of the Chesterton exit, police said.
A black, 2022 Chevrolet Tahoe had driven through the entrance to the scale house at a high rate of speed, police said. The Chevrolet struck the metal entrance gate, continued through the scale lanes and collided with several street signs and light poles.
The vehicle came to a rest on the bypass lane of the scale house against the metal guard rail. Debris from the crash shattered the windows of the scale house.
During the crash investigation, police determined that the driver of the Chevrolet had consumed alcoholic beverages and conducted an operating while intoxicated investigation. Police also learned that the driver was attempting to drive home, however, she was headed eastbound on I-94 rather than westbound toward Illinois, police said.
The driver was offered the opportunity to take a certified chemical test, but the driver’s interactions resulted in her being charged with OWI refusal and police transported her to the jail.
Damage to the light poles, signs and scale house is estimated at several thousand dollars, police said.
