Dangerous Chase Between Gang Members Leads To Crash, Rollover
CHICAGO (STMW) - Police are still looking for the driver of one of the two vehicles that took part in a dangerous, high speed "cat-and-mouse" type chase in the Lawndale neighborhood Sunday morning that ended in one of the autos rolling over after hitting a utility pole, the other striking a building and two parked cars, and four teens hospitalized.
The incident happened about 4 a.m. around Central Park Avenue and Grenshaw Street on the West Side, according to police News Affairs Officer John Mirabelli.
"Apparently some occupants of a 1999 Cadillac 4-door" either threw gang signs or otherwise indicated their gang affiliation to the occupant of a Jeep, Mirabelli said. This led to the two vehicles becoming involved "in a dangerous cat-and-mouse scenario," chasing each other through the streets of the Lawndale neighborhood, he said.
At one point the Jeep lost control on the 3500 block of West Grenshaw Street and went off the road, striking a traffic signal, then continuing through a vacant lot and hitting a utility pole before rolling over.
The Cadillac's driver also lost control, veering left of the center lane of traffic, striking a building, then hitting two parked cars; a 2002 4-door Hyundai and a 2002 4-door Buick.
The driver of the Jeep left it and fled the scene. Police as of later Sunday morning were searching for that driver, Mirabelli said.
The 17-year-old driver of the Cadillac was taken to John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County, where his condition was "stable," Mirabelli said. A 16-year-old front seat passenger of the Cadillac was also in stable condition at Stroger, and two 17-year-old backseat passengers were taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, also reportedly in "stable" condition.
The driver of the Cadillac was cited for driving left of center, failure to notify the owner of the building that was struck, speeding, and driving without insurance, according to Mirabelli.
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