CHICAGO — Frigid temperatures and icy water didn’t deter thousands of participants from diving into Lake Michigan on Sunday morning for the 26th annual Polar Plunge at North Avenue Beach. The event benefits Special Olympics Illinois and serves as the largest fundraiser of the year for Special Children’s Charities, which supports inclusive programs for children … Read more
A man was shot multiple times while sitting inside a vehicle Monday afternoon in Hammond. Police responded to the 7000 block of Van Buren after receiving reports of a shooting. Investigators believe the people involved knew each other. During the incident, gunfire erupted and the victim was struck several times while inside the vehicle. The … Read more
An early morning crash involving a wrong-way driver claimed the life of a 20-year-old woman Saturday in Lake County, according to the Indiana State Police. Troopers responded around 1:50 a.m. to a two-vehicle crash on Interstate 65 near the 256.4 mile-marker in the northbound lanes, just north of 61st Avenue. Preliminary investigation indicates a silver … Read more
A 35-year-old man from Chicago is facing multiple felony charges in Porter County after authorities say he led police on a high-speed pursuit and intentionally rammed several squad cars, injuring an officer. Rene S. Cardona was charged following the incident, which court documents say began around 1:20 a.m. on Feb. 19, 2026, in the Willowcreek … Read more
A 41-year-old man from Crown Point has been charged in Porter County following an early-morning crash near Valparaiso, according to court records. Joshua Pagel is accused in connection with a collision that occurred around 12:21 a.m. Feb. 21 at 500 West 100 South in Valparaiso. Authorities said the vehicle was found off the roadway with … Read more
Officers with the Hammond Police Department are investigating a shooting reported Monday afternoon in Hammond. Police said officers responded around 1:25 p.m. to the 7000 block of Van Buren Street after receiving reports of gunfire. Preliminary findings indicate the shooting involved individuals who were known to each other. During the incident, an adult man was … Read more
Brandon Leandrews Robinson, 33, of Hammond, is facing multiple felony charges after police say he stabbed two men in separate incidents just minutes apart on Feb. 12, 2026 — first inside a grocery store and later at the scene of a traffic crash on 165th Street. According to court records, the first incident happened around … Read more
Julia Lashay Watkins, 29, of Gary, is facing multiple felony charges in Lake County after police say methamphetamine and other narcotics were discovered on her body following a traffic stop in Hobart. According to court records, the investigation began around 3:42 p.m. on Feb. 12, 2026, when officers observed a silver Chevrolet HHR weaving through … Read more
Troopers with the Indiana State Police responded around 5:15 p.m. Saturday to a three-vehicle crash on northbound I-65 at the 253.6 mile-marker beneath the 73rd Avenue overpass. The crash involved a yellow bus towing a passenger car, an SUV and a pickup truck. Authorities said the bus was a retired school bus that had been … Read more
Elias R. Thomas of East Chicago faces felony charges after police say he fired a rifle into an occupied apartment while a mother and her two juvenile children were inside. According to court documents, East Chicago Police responded on February 5, 2026, to the 4400 block of Olcott Avenue for a report of shots fired. … Read more