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Thursday, May 23, 2013

Felon just out of prison dies in car crash

Updated: October 14, 2012 1:38PM



GARY — A one-car crash late Monday night took the life of 35-year-old Gustavo McQuay, who was thrown from the vehicle as it struck a fence and flipped.

McQuay, of Portage, was pronounced dead at the scene about 12:30 a.m., an hour after the 2000 Chevrolet Monte Carlo crashed near 44th Avenue and Georgia Street, police spokeswoman Cpl. Gabrielle King said.

She noted McQuay was not wearing a seat belt.

His passenger, Eric Lopez, 24, of Gary, was wearing a seat belt. He suffered only minor injuries, King said, and was treated and released from the hospital Tuesday morning.

McQuay was driving north on Georgia Street when he left the road and hit the fence.

The car “flipped over an unknown amount of times,” King said.

Just weeks ago, McQuay completed a 30-year prison term for a shooting that killed one and wounded three others Oct. 10, 1997 at Lew Wallace High School’s homecoming football game.

Kellie Franklin, 18, a Wallace graduate, was more than five months pregnant when she was fatally shot while sitting in the bleachers during the game.

McQuay was found guilty of voluntary manslaughter and other felonies and was sentenced to 30 years. With day-for-day good time credit, he was released earlier this year.





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