Convicted felon ejected in crash while trying to flee from Indiana State Police

GARY, Ind. (WLS) -- A convicted felon who tried to flee from police loses control of his vehicle and crashes in northwest Indiana early Saturday morning.

The man, identified as Varnell Lamont Dixon, 23, of Chicago was ejected through the car's sunroof after flipping over several times.

According to Indiana State Police, Dixon was driving a black 2019 Infiniti Q50 at 95 mph in a 55 mph zone on I-80/94 in Gary at around 1:51 a.m.

A trooper tried to stop him but Dixon drove off. He eventually crashed while trying to exit on the Cline Avenue ramp.

Dixon, the only person in the vehicle, was transported to Northlake Methodist Hospital in Gary with minor injuries.

Officers recovered a stolen 9 mm Glock handgun and 17 grams of individually packaged marijuana from inside the crashed car.

The Infiniti was a rental car from Enterprise Leasing.

Dixon is now in the Lake County, Indiana Jail facing charges of unlawful possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon, carrying a handgun without a license and having a previous conviction, resisting law enforcement with a vehicle, theft of firearm and theft of property.

He also faces misdemeanor counts of possessing marijuana with a prior conviction, dealing marijuana, receiving unidentified property, reckless driving resulting in injury and operating a vehicle without ever receiving a license.