SCHERERVILLE, IN — The community is mourning the loss of 58-year-old Ronald Timothy Jones, a respected Lake County Correctional Officer, who tragically lost his life early Saturday morning in a fatal hit-and-run crash involving 29-year-old Jimmie Earl Jacobs III of Schererville and Hammond. The deadly collision occurred at U.S. 30 and Austin Avenue, leaving behind heartbreak, outrage, and calls for justice across Lake County.
According to court documents and police affidavits obtained by Region News Source, Jacobs has been formally charged in connection with the deadly incident. He faces two serious felony charges — Leaving the Scene of an Accident Resulting in Death (Level 4 Felony) and Reckless Homicide — after investigators determined he fled from the scene following the high-speed collision.
Authorities say the crash occurred around 4:04 a.m. on October 11, 2025, when Jacobs, driving a white Chrysler 300 westbound on U.S. 30, ran a red light at a high rate of speed, slamming into a black Honda Civic driven by Officer Ronald Jones. Jones, a longtime correctional officer with the Lake County Sheriff’s Department, was reportedly on his way to work at the Lake County Government Complex at the time.
The violent impact left Jones trapped and unresponsive inside his mangled vehicle. Emergency crews from the Schererville Fire Department used hydraulic rescue tools to free him from the wreckage before he was airlifted to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn. Despite the tireless efforts of medical staff, Jones succumbed to his injuries shortly after arrival.
Crash reconstruction specialists documented extensive skid marks and debris across the intersection, determining that Jacobs’s excessive speed and failure to obey the traffic signal were the primary causes of the deadly crash.
Surveillance footage from Dairy Belle, located on the northwest corner of the intersection, captured the moment Jacobs’s Chrysler sped through the red light just before the impact. The footage also showed Jacobs exiting his wrecked vehicle and fleeing the scene on foot, moments before being picked up by a small SUV.
Inside the Chrysler, investigators found Jacobs’s Indiana driver’s license, work ID, and cell phone, along with personal items linking him directly to the scene. DNA samples collected from the deployed airbag were sent to the state lab for confirmation.
Throughout the morning, multiple agencies — including Schererville Police, the Lake County Sheriff’s Department, and the South Lake County Crash Reconstruction Team — conducted an intensive manhunt using drones and K-9 units. Around 9:15 a.m., officers received reports of a man matching Jacobs’s description bleeding and limping near Redar Park, but initial searches came up empty.
Later that afternoon, Jacobs reportedly called police at 3:25 p.m. from another person’s phone, claiming he had been “in an accident somewhere on U.S. 30” but refused to share his location or meet officers. Investigators traced the call to Marche Holcombe, who initially denied knowing Jacobs but later admitted to helping him after the crash. Holcombe was stopped at a Luke gas station on U.S. 41 and arrested for false informing.
By tracking phone records, license plate readers, and witness accounts, detectives eventually located Jacobs hiding inside an apartment in the 2000 block of Meadow Lane in Schererville. He was taken into custody without incident around 8:06 p.m. Saturday evening.
When arrested, Jacobs had visible injuries, including a deep leg laceration and shoulder bruising, consistent with a violent crash. He refused medical treatment and declined to speak to detectives without an attorney. He was later booked into the Lake County Jail, where he remains pending court proceedings.
Officer Ronald Timothy Jones dedicated over nine years of service to the Lake County Jail, where he was known as a hardworking, loyal, and compassionate colleague. His coworkers described him as someone who treated everyone with respect and carried out his duties with pride.
Jones leaves behind two adult children and a heartbroken community of family, friends, and fellow officers who are now mourning his loss. A GoFundMe page has been created to help his loved ones cover funeral expenses and other arrangements.
As Lake County mourns, law enforcement officers across the region have expressed their grief and solidarity, remembering Officer Ronald Jones not just as a colleague, but as a man of integrity and service.
Rest in Peace, Officer Ronald Timothy Jones.
Your dedication and sacrifice will never be forgotten.
