Aaron Okelola Charged With Attempted Murder After Dragging CPD Officer From Car While Fleeing Traffic Stop
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A 25-year-old man has been charged with attempted murder, after police said he dragged an officer from his car while fleeing a traffic stop Monday night near the 95th Street CTA Red Line terminal.
Aaron Okelola has been charged with one felony count of attempted first-degree murder, one misdemeanor count of fleeing police, and one misdemeanor count of driving on a suspended license. He is due to appear in bond court Wednesday afternoon.
Police have said officers were pulling over Okelola's white Chevy Impala around 8:10 p.m. Monday on the 9500 block of South Lafayette Avenue, when he sped off, with an officer hanging onto the driver's side door.
The car made it less than a block before Okelola crossed over onto the wrong side of the street, lost control, and stopped only when the car hit the steel pillar on the L station at 95th Street and the Dan Ryan Expressway.
The officer was hanging onto the driver's side door when it slammed into the beam. The impact deployed the airbag and sent the officer flying into a gate, where witnesses said he was hurt severely in the face.
"I looked, I see the officer unconscious, lay down, say about five minutes, they got him off – his whole left side was bleeding, like he got hurt real bad in his head," said witness Matheyas Myers. "I hope he's all right. If he has family and kids and stuff like that, I hope he goes back to his family."
Police have said the officer was seriously injured, but expected to recover.
On Tuesday, Chicago Police Supt. David Brown visited the officer in the hospital, and tweeted that he is in good spirits.
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