Dec
18
Chicago Police Officer Charged In Indiana Toll Road Car Chase
Filed Under Chicago Police, Indiana Toll Road, crime
A Chicago police officer who Indiana police say told them “that he and other police officers … often make traffic stops, off duty, in their personal cars, out of uniform” has been charged after chasing a driver and pulling a gun at an Indiana Toll Road toll booth, reports the Northwest Indiana Times.
The prosecutor filed papers Monday in Lake County Criminal Court naming 37-year-old Daniel Castillo in four felony counts that carry a maximum penalty of eight years in prison if convicted.
An affidavit says Castillo was in plain clothes and was in his private vehicle when he pulled a gun on another driver in Hammond. …
The prosecutor alleges the toll booth attendant called for help and opened the gate for the Lumina. She said she was scared because Castillo didn’t identify himself until after the Lumina escaped.
She and another witness said Castillo’s car didn’t have any emergency police lights activated.
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8 Responses to “Chicago Police Officer Charged In Indiana Toll Road Car Chase”
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How should we feel about this?
On the one hand, it appears that the cop was well out of bounds.
On the other hand maybe the other driver was drunk.
Either way, one would think that there would be procedures for this sort of thing, as to what an off duty cop can and can’t do to apprehend someone. The fact that they’re filing felony charges may be telling us that he went far over the line.
Hi Buzz,
In Indiana, an officer in an unmarked car must be in uniform to stop a car.
An officer out of uniform in a marked police car can stop a driver.
Source: Zionsville Police Department.
It looks like the prosecutor filed four charges in Cause No. 45G01-0712-FC-00154:
Intimidation — IC 35-45-2-1(A)(1)(c)
Pointing a Firearm (2 charges) — IC 35-47-3(B)(D)
Criminal Recklessness — IC 35-4-2-2(FD)
The online docket is available at Lakecountyin.org, click on clerk, then online docket.
Dude, make this a blogpost. Before I steal it from you for my blog!
I hope I’m not too late — I had to run out of the office, then had to do some work …
[…] Chicago Police Officer Charged In Indiana Toll Road Car Chase […]
As a personal friend of officer Castillo i can say that i know for a fact in his mind he thought he was doing the right thing….to a point. in his head he figured he had to “serve and protect” weather he was on duty or not. But under no circumstance is it right. I Come from a long line of officers from my father and sister to uncles and other extended family and i know crazy from reasonable and he knows he was wrong. i also have freinds on Indiana forces including county and state cops and the same holds true for them…help if you can and if you cant then call someone who will. if its a life or death situation then yes jump in , but if not then give it to the guys who know their own backyard. he was wrong flat out! and i hat the fact that someone who risks their life everyday for people in my life would chose to do such a stupid thing. thats right CHOSE.
Hi Daddysgyrl,
Thanks for stopping by.
I fully support all officers who are out there serving and protecting us and keeping society safe.
I also know that officers are sometimes the victims of circumstance and can end up being mistreated. I wrote a post about the injustice done to Chicago police officer Mike Mette.
I bet things would have been different if the officer had called 911 and let the local police know that he was following the driver.
However, I do support the rule that officers in unmarked cars have to wear uniforms.
There are too many crazy people out there who would try to pretend that they were officers by flashing their lights if there wasn’t a uniform (or marked car) requirement.