Gerald J. Hayes, Jr., 39, of the 8300 block of Taney Street, is being held in the Lake County Jail.

He was apprehended by a Merrillville K-9 unit after fleeing a crashed squad car, said Lake County Sheriff Police spokesman Michael Higgins.

According to county police, a Hobart officer responded to a shoplifting call at Kohl's Department store, at Mississippi and U.S. 30 in Hobart. Hayes was pulled over by police a few blocks away at Interstate 65 and 61st Avenue.

He was handcuffed and placed in the squad car. The officer was searching his car when Hayes was able to slip his cuffed arms under his legs and drive away in the squad car.

Hayes led police on a chase. He lost control of the squad car as he attempted to turn north onto Broadway.

The car skidded, jumped the median and struck a car in the southbound lane.

The driver of the car, Kenneth Ballard, 34, of the 7000 block of State Place, Merrillville, was not injured but a woman in the passenger's seat was taken to nearby Methodist Southlake Campus with chest pains, Higgins said.

After the crash, Hayes fled on foot into a nearby wooded area, where he was stopped by a Merrillville K-9 unit at 61st Avenue and Adams Street, according to police.

Lake County Sheriff's Police handled the crash.

Hobart police are also examining what happened. From the preliminary reports, it appears the officer followed procedure, including leaving his squad car running as he searched Hayes' vehicle, said Hobart Police Lt. Leo Finnerty.

"He didn't do anything wrong. It is standard procedure to leave your vehicle on when you are in the middle of the roadway," Finnerty said.

Police have charged Hayes with auto theft and theft, according to county police.

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