PORTER COUNTY, Ind. – A trucker ended up in jail in Indiana after refusing to pay her toll and then giving false information to an Indiana State Trooper.
Indiana State Police (ISP) said in a news release that on June 30, 2026, at approximately 10:55 a.m. CST, an Indiana State Trooper was dispatched to the Portage Barrier Toll Plaza located at the 24-mile marker of the Indiana Toll Road due to the driver of a white 2026 Volvo semi tractor-trailer refusing to pay the toll.
ISP said when the trooper arrived, he attempted to facilitate gathering information from the driver of the Volvo so that the toll could be paid later.
The truck driver, ultimately found to be Shalaia Martin, 38, of Houston, Texas, gave the trooper false information. When the trooper discovered he had been given false identifying information, he attempted to take Martin into custody and she began to resist arrest. Several other troopers arrived and Martin was taken into custody without injury.
Troopers discovered suspected marijuana and a bottle of fake urine in the Volvo as well. Martin received a ticket for an unpaid toll and was transported to the Porter County Jail for False Informing, Resisting Law Enforcement, Possession of Synthetic Urine, and Possession of Marijuana.
Bruce Guthrie is an award-winning journalist who has lived in three states including Arkansas, Missouri and Georgia. During his nearly 20-year career, Bruce has served as managing editor and sports editor for numerous publications. He and his wife, Dana, who is also a journalist, are based in Carrollton, Georgia.
