Indiana State Police (ISP) arrested a man who damaged semi-trucks with a long-handled axe on I-80 before leading police on a chase Friday afternoon.
The driver of a Volkswagen slammed on the brakes in front of some semi-trucks and swung an axe at a Freightliner
At 4:30 p.m. on September 11, 2026, the ISP responded to eastbound I-80 at kilometer marker 1.9 in Hammond after receiving a report that a man armed with an axe had attacked a semi-truck near the Calumet Ave. overpass.
When officers arrived at the scene, they made contact with the driver of a 2025 Freightliner parked on the inside shoulder of I-80.
The truck driver explained to the officers that she had observed a black 2011 Volkswagen with an Illinois license plate driving erratically and cutting in front of other trucks on I-80 eastbound. The Volkswagen then came to a stop in lane two, forcing the Freightliner to come to a complete stop.
The truck driver stated that a barefoot white man got out of the Volkswagen and “appeared furious and was shouting incoherent things.” The man got back into the Volkswagen and backed up, nearly crashing into the Freightliner; he then got out again, this time carrying a long-handled axe with a leather sheath covering the blade.
“The man struck the vehicle’s grille, puncturing the radiator, and hit the headlight on the driver’s side. The victim further stated that the man began to approach the driver’s door; however, his large dog began barking loudly from inside the cab, prompting the suspect to return to his vehicle and flee the scene,” the ISP stated.
Second Freightliner Attacked
At 4:49 p.m. on September 11, the ISP received a call regarding a similar incident on eastbound I-80 at mile marker 5.4, near the Cline Ave. overpass.
The driver of a 2023 Freightliner told officers that the suspect’s Volkswagen was traveling between lanes 2 and 3 at approximately 10 m.p.h. The truck driver stated that he attempted to change lanes to avoid the Volkswagen, but the driver swerved sharply in front of him before coming to a complete stop. The suspect then exited the vehicle and struck the front of the Freightliner with the axe before fleeing the scene.
Police chase reaches speeds of 80 miles per hour
ISP Officer Jordin Rosillo spotted the Volkswagen traveling eastbound on I-80.
She activated her emergency lights and sirens, at which point the vehicle accelerated from 16 m.p.h. to 60 m.p.h., initiating a pursuit.
The suspect fled from police at speeds of up to 80 m.p.h. before Lake County sheriff’s deputies cornered the Volkswagen and apprehended him.
The driver, identified as a man from New Jersey, was arrested.
A traffic stop was conducted for a felony offense.
The Volkswagen driver “did not speak English and was uncooperative,” according to Deputy Rosillo. He was later identified as 29-year-old Ivan Savych of New Jersey.
The axe and the leather sheath were recovered from the Volkswagen.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office transported Savych to the Lake County Jail.
Preliminary charges include resisting arrest—a Level 6 felony—and two counts of property damage—Class A misdemeanors.
