Clarification on the status of the driver and passenger-the driver of the Equinox, Theresa Taramo is that she is in critical condition and being flown to Christ Hospital in Illinois. She is not deceased as being reported. Her granddaughter, Julianna Chambers, 13, died of her injuries at Saint Margaret’s Hospital in Hammond.
The family of the deceased and injured have been notified. The driver of the Equinox is Theresa Taramo, 57 of Whiting. Her passenger was her granddaughter, Julianna Chambers, her age is 13 not 14, also from Whiting.
Original release below:
Hammond-Shortly before 5:00 p.m., this February 15th, evening, the Indiana State Police were called by Hammond Police Department to investigate a crash that became a fatal in their city.
Preliminary investigation revealed that East Chicago Police were in pursuit of a 2010 Dodge Durango which entered into Hammond. Hammond Police then joined into the pursuit. The Durango was going east bound on Gostlin Street when it entered into the intersection of Gostlin and Columbia Avenue and hit the driver’s side of a Chevrolet Equinox. The Equinox was north bound on Columbia Avenue and had a green light. The Durango came to rest in the right lane of west bound Gostlin just east of the intersection. The Equinox went through a fence and came to rest in the grassy area just before the parking lot of Lang Ice Service.
The driver of the Durango, identified as Donnell Howard Junior, 31 of Highland, Indiana was taken into custody by East Chicago Police. His passenger, Jessica Pichon, 27 of Danville, Illinois, was transported to North Lake Methodist Hospital in Gary with minor injuries.
The driver of the Equinox, a fifty seven year old female, was taken to North Lake Methodist with critical injuries and is being flown out to Christ Hospital in Illinois. The passenger, a fourteen year old, in the Equinox was taken to Saint Margaret’s Hospital in Hammond where they died of their injuries. Names are being withheld pending notification of the family.
All questions about the pursuit and charges on Howard should be directed to Hammond Police Department and East Chicago Police Department.
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All criminal defendants are to be presumed innocent until, and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
