Driver in Lake County reports 14th vehicle shooting in last month

GARY -- A semitrailer driver said a window on his rig was broken while he was driving on Cline Ave., and police believe the damage may be related to the 13 other vehicles that have reported similar damage over the last month. \nAuthorities said they believe someone using a pellet gun is shooting at the vehicles, although they have not yet found what broke the windows. All the vehicles have been traveling on or near Cline Ave., a state highway.\nThe latest trucker to report damage, William Autman of Joliet, Ill., said the rear window on the passenger side of his rig was broken about noon Monday. But investigators did not find a projectile, according to the Lake County Sheriff's Department.\nA commercial truck driver for L and L Cartage in Gary told police Monday he also had a rear window shattered about 4:15 p.m. on Cline Ave., and he found a projectile. But a co-worker told the Post-Tribune of Merrillville that police did not respond to the report.\nLake County Sheriff's spokesman Mike Higgins said an officer did go to L and L Cartage, but the driver was gone. Police asked that he report the shooting Tuesday.\nThe co-worker told the Post-Tribune that the driver found something the size of pellet but round like a BB.\nA man who answered the telephone Tuesday at L and L declined to give his name and said he was not sure the item found was what broke the window, but he thought it was. He said the item has been turned over to police.\nThe string of attacks have baffled investigators as no bullets or shell casings have been found. Still, the daytime damage along the five-mile stretch has put growing pressure on authorities to make an arrest and prompted the Sheriff's Department to offer a $10,000 reward and open a tip line, which has received more than 100 calls.\nThe shootings began the same day 17-year-old Zachariah Blanton of Gaston was charged with murder for a sniper-style shooting on Interstate 65 in southern Indiana that killed one man and slightly injured a second. Blanton has pleaded not guilty to murder, attempted murder and related charges.