A trooper helped save a Merrillville woman’s life and then found drugs on her.
It happened around 4:05 p.m. on Saturday, July 27.
The trooper was dispatched to a possible property damage crash on westbound I-80/94 near Indianapolis Blvd.
The trooper saw a silver Volkswagen Beetle on the left shoulder up against the concrete median barrier wall.
As the trooper approached the VW on the passenger side, she could see that the sole occupant was a woman who appeared to be unconscious in the driver’s seat.
The trooper knocked repeatedly in an attempt to rouse the female but was unsuccessful. Due to all the VW doors being locked Smith had to break the passenger window to gain entry. Once inside, the trooper h was unable to rouse the driver and noticed the woman wasn’t breathing. The trooper used life-saving measures. Shortly after, Hammond Fire and EMS arrived and proceeded with life saving measures.
The driver, later identified as Kelley Cooper, 31, regained consciousness.
She was taken to Munster Community Hospital in Munster.
The trooper says she found two small bags in Cooper’s wallet containing suspected heroin and paraphernalia.
Cooper was found to be wearing a home detention monitor due to her probation status.
Cooper was taken to Lake County Jail in Crown Point after being released from the hospital and was charged with:
- Operating While Intoxicated Endangerment-Class A Misdemeanor
- Operating a Vehicle with a Controlled Substance in Blood-Class C Misdemeanor
- Possession of Paraphernalia-Class C Misdemeanor
- Possession of a Narcotic Drug-Level 6 Felony
