CHESTERTON, Ind. — A 16-year-old Michigan City boy has been charged after police allege he took part in an armed carjacking at the NICTD Dune Park Train Station and fled with three other juveniles in a stolen truck, according to court documents summarized by Region News Source.
Key facts
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Defendant | 16-year-old Michigan City boy (unnamed) |
| Incident | ~11:08 a.m. June 27, 2026 |
| Scene | NICTD Dune Park station, 33 East U.S. 12, Chesterton |
| Vehicle | White 2024 Ford Maverick (employer’s) |
| Charges filed | July 16, 2026 |
Because the defendant is a juvenile, Region N3 is not publishing his name. Charges are accusations. He is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Alleged carjacking
The probable cause affidavit states the victim was sitting next to his employer’s white 2024 Ford Maverick when the teen approached, pointed an olive green handgun at him, and demanded the truck keys and cell phone.
The victim said he handed over the keys and told him, “Just go,” Region News Source reported.
Court documents allege another juvenile then got into the driver’s seat while the charged teen sat in the passenger seat. The truck left the lot, picked up two more juveniles and fled west on U.S. 12.
Pursuit and crash
Officers later tried to stop the vehicle. That sparked a pursuit that ended when the truck crashed into a light pole at U.S. 12 and Melton Road in Gary, police said. All four occupants fled on foot.
One juvenile was taken into custody after running into a McDonald’s in Gary, according to the affidavit.
Surveillance ID
Investigators said Dune Park surveillance video showed the teen approach the victim, point a firearm and enter the passenger side of the truck. The video corroborated the victim’s account, police alleged, Region News Source reported.
Michigan City police identified the teen from surveillance images, according to the affidavit summary.
Dune Park is a South Shore Line (NICTD) stop on U.S. 12 in Porter County. The alleged crime, pursuit path and crash span Chesterton into Gary — a short corridor along the lakeshore rail and highway spine.
Charges filed July 16, 2026
| Charge | Level |
|---|---|
| Armed robbery — taking property by force while armed with a deadly weapon | Level 3 felony |
| Auto theft | Level 6 felony |
| Pointing a firearm at another person | Level 6 felony |
| Dangerous possession of a firearm by a child | Class A misdemeanor |
| Resisting law enforcement | Class A misdemeanor |
The Level 3 armed-robbery count is the top charge in the July 16 filing. The remaining counts track the alleged firearm display, theft of the Maverick, juvenile gun possession and flight from officers after the crash, as Region News Source listed them from the court file.
No adult co-defendants are named in the Region News Source wrap. The affidavit narrative describes three other juveniles in the truck after the lot pickup; only one of those youths is described as taken into custody at the Gary McDonald’s. Further charging decisions for the other juveniles, if any, were not detailed in that report.
Region N3 will update if prosecutors add defendants, move the case to adult court or report a hearing date.
Photo credit
- Inline figures from Region N3 stock gallery / file (illustrative; not crime-scene originals unless noted)
- Photo: Region News Source — Image from original coverage of this story.