UPDATE: Portage man died of 'multiple' gunshot wounds
NWI Times
April 24, 2017 - 2:50PM
http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/update-portage-man-died-of-multiple-gunshot-wounds/article_fd7c729b-50c8-5f69-8f55-6951993fb246.html
PORTAGE — The investigation into what happened in the early morning hours Saturday that led to an officer involved shooting and the death of a Portage man is still ongoing.
Additional details, however, were released by the Porter County Sheriff's office Monday morning that indicated William D. Spates, 39, of Portage may have attempted to run over Portage police Officer Grant Crizer during a traffic stop in the driveway of a home in the 5200 block of Royal Avenue.
Crizer made a traffic stop on a blue 2004 Jeep Liberty. Spates pulled into the driveway on Royal Avenue. At some point the suspect put his vehicle into reverse and accelerated rapidly into the officer’s fully-marked squad car, striking it. Witnesses initially reported hearing the officer yelling commands to the driver, and an engine revving, followed by six to seven shots fired, according to a press release from Porter County sheriff's office public information officer Sgt. Jamie Erow.
Erow said she could not specifically answer as to whether or not all the shots were fired by Crizer or if Spates had a weapon. She said that is still under investigation.
"However I can relay that evidence at the scene and witness statements show a Taser was deployed prior to shots being fired," she said.
According to the Porter County Central Communications incident history for the event, Crizer reported shots fired and he needed another unit. He told dispatch that his vehicle was struck and the subject tried to run him over. He requested EMS step up their response. Another officer arrived on scene helping to pull Spates from the vehicle and immediately began rendering aid with his tactical first-aid kit. Portage EMS arrived on scene and pronounced Spates dead.
Porter County Coroner Chuck Harris said in the release Monday that an autopsy was performed on Spates, 39, over the weekend. The results revealed that Spates received multiple gunshot wounds to the torso and head, leading to his death.
Harris said toxicology results are pending.
Erow said detectives and crime scene investigators with her department and the Indiana State Police worked throughout the weekend and are still investigating.
She directed any questions about the officer's status to Portage Police Chief Troy Williams. Williams wasn't immediately available for comment Monday morning.
Erow did confirm that Spates was arrested by Portage police at his home in the 2700 block of Brown Street Tuesday evening. The home is just around the corner from the shooting incident.
Spates, who has a long history of arrests in both Lake and Porter counties, according to court records, was charged with felony counts of strangulation and domestic battery and two misdemeanor counts of battery. He was accused of battering his wife and two children during an argument. He was transported to a local hospital for breathing problems and then transported to Porter County Jail.
Records indicate he was bonded out on Friday, April 21 at 10:29 p.m., said Erow.
NWI Times
April 24, 2017 - 2:50PM
http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/update-portage-man-died-of-multiple-gunshot-wounds/article_fd7c729b-50c8-5f69-8f55-6951993fb246.html
PORTAGE — The investigation into what happened in the early morning hours Saturday that led to an officer involved shooting and the death of a Portage man is still ongoing.
Additional details, however, were released by the Porter County Sheriff's office Monday morning that indicated William D. Spates, 39, of Portage may have attempted to run over Portage police Officer Grant Crizer during a traffic stop in the driveway of a home in the 5200 block of Royal Avenue.
Crizer made a traffic stop on a blue 2004 Jeep Liberty. Spates pulled into the driveway on Royal Avenue. At some point the suspect put his vehicle into reverse and accelerated rapidly into the officer’s fully-marked squad car, striking it. Witnesses initially reported hearing the officer yelling commands to the driver, and an engine revving, followed by six to seven shots fired, according to a press release from Porter County sheriff's office public information officer Sgt. Jamie Erow.
Erow said she could not specifically answer as to whether or not all the shots were fired by Crizer or if Spates had a weapon. She said that is still under investigation.
"However I can relay that evidence at the scene and witness statements show a Taser was deployed prior to shots being fired," she said.
According to the Porter County Central Communications incident history for the event, Crizer reported shots fired and he needed another unit. He told dispatch that his vehicle was struck and the subject tried to run him over. He requested EMS step up their response. Another officer arrived on scene helping to pull Spates from the vehicle and immediately began rendering aid with his tactical first-aid kit. Portage EMS arrived on scene and pronounced Spates dead.
Porter County Coroner Chuck Harris said in the release Monday that an autopsy was performed on Spates, 39, over the weekend. The results revealed that Spates received multiple gunshot wounds to the torso and head, leading to his death.
Harris said toxicology results are pending.
Erow said detectives and crime scene investigators with her department and the Indiana State Police worked throughout the weekend and are still investigating.
She directed any questions about the officer's status to Portage Police Chief Troy Williams. Williams wasn't immediately available for comment Monday morning.
Erow did confirm that Spates was arrested by Portage police at his home in the 2700 block of Brown Street Tuesday evening. The home is just around the corner from the shooting incident.
Spates, who has a long history of arrests in both Lake and Porter counties, according to court records, was charged with felony counts of strangulation and domestic battery and two misdemeanor counts of battery. He was accused of battering his wife and two children during an argument. He was transported to a local hospital for breathing problems and then transported to Porter County Jail.
Records indicate he was bonded out on Friday, April 21 at 10:29 p.m., said Erow.
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