A Lake Station resident was arrested Saturday on a charge of criminal recklessness and resisting law enforcement after Portage Police said that he led officers on a high-speed pursuit on U.S. Highway 20 and I-94.

William K. Markle, 38, was booked into the Porter County Jail on charges of criminal reckless, resisting law enforcement, and criminal mischief, all Class D felonies punishable by terms of six months to three years, as well as on misdemeanor charges of reckless driving and driving while suspended-prior.

According to police, at 8:29 a.m. an officer observed Markle eastbound in the 5700 block of U.S. 20 at a high rate of speed. The officer followed Markle to the intersection of U.S. 20 and Willowcreek Road, where police said that Markle slowed but failed to stop for a red light, at which point the officer activated his emergency lights. Markle turned left into the Marathon gas station at the corner of U.S. 20 and Willowcreek Road, police said, but as the officer followed him into the station Markle put his vehicle into drive and fled the parking lot westbound on U.S. 20.

Police said that Markle, “swerving in and out of the lanes of traffic without due regard for the other vehicles on the roadway,” led officers to the intersection of U.S. 20 and Ind. 41, where he disregarded another traffic signal, then turned south onto Ind. 51 and took the ramp for westbound I-94 “at speeds exceeding 60 miles per hour.”

“As we were entering traffic on I-94 Mr. Markle began cutting vehicles off and swerving in and out of all lanes of traffic at speeds ranging 80 to 85 miles per hour,” the pursuing officer stated in his report. “Mr. Markle nearly struck several vehicles on the highway as a result of his reckless driving.”

Officers, with the assistance of Gary Police and other agencies, finally managed to execute a rolling road block just east of the Cline Ave. exit ramp and take Markle into custody, police said.

After being transported to the Portage PD, “Mr. Markle waived (the Miranda warning) and said he wanted to tell me he was sorry,” the pursuing officer stated in his report. “Mr. Markle told me he ran because his driver’s license is suspended and he didn’t want to go to jail. Mr. Markle repeated several times he was sorry and was not trying to hurt anyone. Mr. Markle said, ‘I just wanted to get away.’”

Markle was transported to Porter County Jail.

Posted 2/1/2010