In a heart-wrenching incident that unfolded in the early hours of Tuesday, February 25th, an off-duty police officer from Munster lost his life in a devastating car crash. The collision occurred around 1 a.m. on Wicker Avenue, just south of St. John, in unincorporated Lake County, Indiana. This tragic event has left the community in shock and mourning.

Details of the Incident

In the quiet, predawn hours of a chilly winter morning, a fatal two-vehicle collision took place on Wicker Avenue near its intersection with U.S. Highway 41. The vehicles involved were a Dodge Ram pickup truck and a semi-truck. Upon arrival at the scene, law enforcement officials discovered that the driver of the pickup truck had succumbed to his injuries. The deceased was later identified as Ryan Perez, a 31-year-old police officer who had recently joined the Munster Police Department after transferring from an Illinois department.

At the time of the accident, Perez was driving his personal vehicle and not on duty. According to preliminary findings, the pickup truck was heading north on U.S. Highway 41 while the semi-truck was traveling south. Near the 11400 block of Wicker Avenue, the two vehicles collided. The driver of the semi-truck, a 41-year-old man from Schererville, Indiana, escaped injury but was transported by his employer to a nearby hospital for mandatory testing as required by state regulations.

The Lake County Sheriff’s Department Crash Reconstruction Unit, Detective Bureau, and the Lake County Coroner’s Office are currently investigating the factors that led to this tragedy. Authorities are working diligently to determine the cause of the crash.

This heartbreaking event serves as a somber reminder of the risks faced by those who serve and protect our communities. It underscores the importance of road safety and the need for continued vigilance behind the wheel. As the investigation continues, the Munster Police Department and the broader community mourn the loss of a dedicated officer who gave his life in service to others.