More than 200 bottles of prescription drugs suspected as stolen from a Minneapolis suburb were recovered from an SUV that crashed in LaPorte County after a high-speed pursuit involving Chesterton Police Thursday morning.
Two men from the Detroit area, William Lee Anthony. 28, and Keonta Dure Anthony, 26, are facing felony charges of resisting law enforcement, possession of a narcotic drug and possession of a legend drug. They are also wanted back in New Brighton, Minnesota, where additional charges are pending.
Chesterton Police gave the following account:
Sgt. Eric Lisoski was conducting a federal Drug Enforcement Agency patrol on Interstate 94 at 11:24 a.m. when he received notification from a license plate reader about an eastbound SUV with stolen Minnesota plates.
Crown Point Police earlier had their sights on the same vehicle. Lisoski saw the SUV go by at the 24-mile marker, just west of Ind. 49.
Lisoski observed the SUV weaving through traffic and reaching speeds of more than 100 mph.
The SUV exited southbound on U.S. 421 and shortly afterward, flipped into a ditch near LaPorte County Road 50 N.
The two men fled into the nearby woods but were soon captured. One of the suspects had to be subdued with a stun gun.
A subsequent search of the vehicle yielded more than 200 bottles of prescription drugs, including narcotics. There were other items also recovered believed to be connected with recent burglaries in New Brighton, a Minneapolis suburb, the report said.
The two men, after being medically cleared at a local hospital, were taken to the Porter County Jail. They are being held for law enforcement in Minnesota.
Assistant Police Chief Cisco Rodriguez commended the coordinated efforts of all the law enforcement agencies — which included Crown Point and Porter Police and Lake County and LaPorte County Sheriff’s Departments — for their work on the case. Rodriguez also complimented Lisoski for his proactive response and effective use of technology in locating the suspect vehicle.
Jim Woods is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
