At approximately 4:35 p.m., the Indiana State Police received a report of a runaway horse running eastbound I-80 from Colorado Street.
Troopers converged on the area and found the horse lying on the inner shoulder just east of Central Avenue. Colleen Flee of Chesterton and David Beckham of Crown Point saw the horse running on I-80 when it fell. Flee and Beckham stopped their vehicles and Flee laid down next to the horse to keep it down and calm so it wouldn't dart out in traffic. Beckham stood by with Flee to help control the horse, ISP said.
One trooper stopped eastbound traffic so he could walk the horse to the grassy area behind the barrier wall on the outer shoulder so it wouldn't be "spooked" by all the traffic on I-80, ISP said.
Lake Station and Hobart police departments helped find the owner.
Marcelino Chavez, 62, of Hammond, said his horse, which he calls "Geraldo", had jumped over the fence where he is kept at 25th and Colorado and fled up the interstate. Chavez said the horse is used in parades.
Traffic was shut down again for Chavez to load Geraldo into his horse trailer. Geraldo suffered minor abrasions.
All lanes of traffic were re-opened at 6:14 p.m.
