Man Charged With Hitting 2 Cops In Chase
CHICAGO (STMW) - Charges have been filed against an Edgewater neighborhood man who led police on a car chase and prompted officers to fire shots two separate times Wednesday night.
Miguel Gonzalez, 24, was charged with two counts of attempted murder, two counts of aggravated assault of a peace officer, two counts of DUI, aggravated fleeing police, aggravated fleeing involving bodily injury, fleeing and attempt elude, carrying alcohol, and driving the wrong way on a one-way street, according to a police News Affairs release.
Gonzalez, of the 1000 block of West Balmoral Avenue, is scheduled to appear in bond court later Friday, according to the release.
During the incident, police opened fire two separate times while trying to catch Gonzalez who was driving a red Audi. This incident left three officers and Gonzalez hurt, but no one was shot, police said.
At 9:20 p.m., Jefferson Park District police were on patrol near West Addison Street and North Cicero Avenue when they saw a vehicle matching a car whose driver earlier allegedly attempted to strike two bicycle officers, according to a police News Affairs statement.
When the Jefferson Park District officers attempted to make a traffic stop, the driver of the Audi then fled from officers.
When the car stopped near West Berenice and North Melvina avenues, officers approached on foot. At this time, the car then accelerated towards them, striking one officer and prompted police to fire shots, according to police.
Gonzalez allegedly fled from the scene on the sidewalk to the area of West Irving Park Road and North Marmora Avenue, where assisting officers saw the car. As the officers approached the suspect, the car again accelerated toward police, striking a police vehicle and one officer who had already exited the squad car, according to the statement.
This second charge at the officers prompted the officers to fire shots again. Gonzalez allegedly continued to flee on foot, where he did something threatening towards an officer, the police statement said.
After a brief foot chase, Gonzalez was apprehended approximately half a block from the crime scene, the police statement said.
All three officers and Gonzalez were taken to an area hospital with non-life threatening injuries, the police statement said.
Neither the offender nor police were hit by gunfire, according to a Jefferson Park District lieutenant.
Independent Police Review Authority spokesman Curtis Tarver said the shooting is under investigation and also confirmed no officers were hit by gunfire.
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