HOBART, Ind. (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- What started as a test drive Wednesday afternoon at a Northwest Indiana car dealership ended with the car under a semi and on fire, a car salesman in the hospital, and the driver in jail.
According to Indiana State Police, 29-year-old LaDarien Gregory, of Hammond, went to Bosco Family Motors and was test-driving a 2009 Kia Borrego with a salesman.
Around 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, Indiana State Police received a 911 call from the salesman saying he was being held against his will in the car speeding on I-80/94 in Gary. Gregory was refusing to pull over to let the salesman out of the vehicle.
While he was on the phone with the dispatcher, police said Gregory accelerated and slammed into the back of a semi. The roof of the car was nearly taken off.
The impact resulted in the car catching on fire. Gregory managed to get out and started walking away from the scene of the accident. The salesman was trapped inside of the vehicle.
Witnesses and two state troopers put the fire out and freed the salesman.
Gregory was found and arrested nearby.
Both the suspect and victim were transported to Northlake Hospital in Gary for treatment. The driver of the semi was not injured.
The salesman was later flown to Loyola University Hospital for treatment of serious injuries.
Gregory has since been released and transported to the Lake County Jail. He is being held on a probable cause hold for charges to be determined by the Lake County Prosecutor. The Indiana State Police Lowell Criminal Investigations Division responded to the scene and is continuing to investigate this incident.
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