Man leads police in high-speed chase from St. John, Indiana to Chicago with kids in car
CHICAGO (CBS) – A man led police on a high-speed chase that began in St. John, Indiana and ended in Chicago Monday night.
The man was driving a car police believed to be stolen. He also had two young children inside the car during the pursuit St. John police said in a statement.
Shortly after 9 p.m. on Monday, St. John police observed a red Chrysler 300 with an Illinois dealer license plate. An inquiry with the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles on the registration showed the vehicle had been stolen from Rockford, Illinois.
The St. John police officer stopped the vehicle inside a Walgreens parking lot at 93rd Avenue and Wicker. Police commanded the driver to roll down the window because they were heavily tinted and they could not see inside. When the officer gave "loud commands" to roll down the window, the driver accelerated and drove onto southbound Wicker Avenue at a high rate of speed.
Police began to pursue the vehicle westbound on 93rd Avenue, southbound on Sheffield and eventually northbound on IL 394. The pursuit continued for "several more minutes," and passed through several residential areas in Riverdale and Dolton.
Cook County Sheriff's deputies, Chicago police and a Cook County Sheriff's helicopter assisted St. John police.
Eventually the suspect drove back to westbound I-94 and was driving at speeds "well over 100 mph."
The Cook County Sheriff's helicopter saw the vehicle run off the roadway and crash on the side ramp near North 115th and Doty Avenue.
The driver got out of the vehicle and was arrested by Cook County Sheriff's deputies.
Police learned two children, ages 9 and 7, were in the rear seat of the vehicle. The children were checked by EMS and released to their mother unharmed.
Police said the vehicle the suspect was driving was wanted by Chicago police in connection with a homicide. Chicago police detectives took the car for processing.
Police said they determined the suspect was driving on a suspended license and was wanted on a full extradition by the Cook County Sheriff's Department on "numerous local charges."
St. John police said they are presenting numerous charges to the Lake County Prosecutor's Office in Indiana.
Police said they're withholding the suspect's name due to the ongoing investigation in Chicago.