Lafayette woman dies after stealing Indiana police vehicle, crashing into ditch: ISP

LAPORTE COUNTY - A 21-year-old woman is dead after slipping out of her handcuffs, stealing a police car and crashing into a water-filled ditch in northwest Indiana on Friday.

According to Indiana State Police, Melissa Collins of Lafayette was handcuffed and in the front seat of a 2021 Ford Explorer police car this morning when she somehow manipulated the cuffs, unbuckled the seatbelt, and drove off in the vehicle.

Officers at the scene chased Collins, but lost sight of the vehicle. They eventually came upon debris in the roadway and located the vehicle submerged in water in a ditch near the area of 2100 S. and 875 W.

An investigation revealed Collins crashed after crossing a set of railroad tracks at a high rate of speed.

Collins was discovered inside the vehicle deceased, police said. An autopsy is pending.

No further information was provided by the Indiana State Police.