Two men arrested after reckless driving, carjacking and crash in NW Indiana: police
The Brief
Two men were arrested in Merrillville on Feb. 14 after a reckless driving spree, carjacking at knifepoint, and a crash on US 30.
After carjacking a black Acura, the suspects fled but were tracked down by footprints and K9 assistance, eventually turning up at the Merrillville Fire Department, where they were arrested.
Cain Knaus and Stephanie Raices face multiple charges, including armed robbery and auto theft, with Knaus also having an active parole violation warrant.
MERRILLVILLE, Ind. - Two men are behind bars after a reckless driving spree, armed carjacking, and crash that led to a foot chase on Friday, authorities said.
What we know
Indiana State Police initially responded to reports of a reckless driver on I-65 southbound from I-80/I-94.
The vehicle was reportedly seen swerving at high speeds between the left and right shoulders, nearly colliding with several cars.
Troopers later received reports of a silver Honda that had crashed near the US 30 ramp.
After the crash, two suspects exited the vehicle and approached other drivers who had stopped to help.
The suspects carjacked a black Acura at knifepoint, assaulted the driver, and forced them out of the vehicle before fleeing westbound on US 30, police said.
Tracking the Suspects
Officers from Merrillville, Hobart, and the Lake County Sheriff's Department assisted in the search and found the abandoned Acura in the 7900 block of Rhode Island Street.
Troopers tracked footprints in the snow and used a K9 unit to locate the suspects.
Meanwhile, the Merrillville Fire Department reported two men who entered the station claiming they had been robbed. Their descriptions matched those of the suspects, and police took them into custody.
The suspects were identified as 26-year-old Cain Knaus of Walshville, Ill., and 34-year-old Stephanie Raices (also known as Victor Zarate) of Chicago and Bronx, N.Y. Knaus had an active parole violation warrant.
Both were booked into Lake County Jail and face multiple charges.
Charges Filed
The Lake County Prosecutor's Office approved these charges against the two suspects:
Armed robbery- Level 3 felony
Robbery- Level 5 felony
Auto theft- Level 6 felony
Battery- Class B misdemeanor
Leaving the scene of a crash- Class B misdemeanor
Reckless driving- Class C misdemeanor
Authorities are still investigating which suspect was driving the vehicle during the crash.
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