CROWN POINT, Ind. -- Speed, alcohol and an ignored stop sign were contributing factors in a three-vehicle collision that killed a woman and three men -- including a well-known lawyer -- on Tuesday night, investigators said.

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Two sport utility vehicles and a car collided at about 10:10 p.m. near the intersection of Randolph Street and East 101st Avenue, according to a Lake County, Ind., coroner's office spokesman.

The driver of a 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee, Mario Cadena, of Crown Point, failed to stop at a stop sign at the intersection and collided with the passenger side of a 1996 Chevy Blazer, Crown Point police Sgt. James Lilley said. In the front seat of the vehicle, next to rosary beads and a religious card, was an open beer bottle. Sources told NBC 5's Dick Johnson that there was a strong smell of alcohol in the Cherokee. Authorities said Thursday that Cadena was driving on a suspended license.

Cadena died of multiple blunt force injuries at St. Mary's Medical Center in Hobart. His identity was initially withheld pending notification of his family in Mexico. Cadena lived sporadically with a woman and her daughter who was Cadena's fiancee, but the woman's mother said that alcohol abuse had been a recurring problem for Cadena.

"Yeah, he battled it pretty hard. We were involved in church, I mean, and then he cleaned up," said Cadena's former fiancee, Kim Rodriguez.

Stephen Hough, 26, of Merrillville, and Amy Bartelmey, 25, of the 1600 block of East 31st Place in Hobart, were in the Chevy Blazer and died of multiple blunt force injuries. Hough was pronounced dead at St. Mary's Medical Center and Bartelmey was dead at the scene.

Bartelmey's mother, who went to the crash scene Wednesday morning, said that her daughter and Hough were soon to be engaged. She said that Hough was driving the car when it crashed.

"It's sad, it's real sad. We're kind of like blue-collar, young, in our mid 30s and 40s, and they were the babies of the neighborhood. They were nice kids," one man said.

Garry Weiss, 53, of the 1700 block of Beachview Court in Crown Point, was dead at the scene with multiple blunt force trauma injuries, according to the spokesman, who said Weiss was driving the car, a 2003 Ford Mustang.

Weiss was a well-known lawyer who recently defended Gary firefighter Carlton Davis Jr., who was convicted Tuesday of running a dogfighting operation out of his home. He was one of three full-time attorneys at the Law Offices of Garry A. Weiss P.C., 6 W. 73rd Ave. in Merrillville.

Weiss' family spoke with NBC5's Kim Vatis late Wednesday morning. They described a loving family man who will be deeply missed.

"He was the love of my life. Everybody loves him. He just ... he was perfect. No, not always perfect, but a wonderful husband, wonderful father, wonderful lawyer, wonderful friend, son, brother ... there's not enough to be said about him," his wife, Cindy Weiss, said. "I love him and I miss him."

"He's a great role model. I want to be just like him," said Weiss' son, Max.

The attorney's daughter, Lauren, said her father had a heart of gold.

"I was a major daddy's girl. We were really close, and I just hope that he's happy wherever he is now," she said. "I know he's looking down on us."

Anthony Vulpitta, who lives near the intersection, said he heard the collision around 10 p.m. He said the intersection is notoriously dangerous because drivers heading south on Randolph top a hill just before the intersection, and they often can't see if someone is trying to make a turn until it's too late.

Merrillville police continue to investigate. Autopsies on all four victims will be conducted later Wednesday.

Additional information provided by Sun-Times News Group