A 24-year-old Aurora man allegedly led Warrenville police on a 100-MPH joy ride down I-88 Monday evening, ending in a crash and foot chase during which he was apprehended.
The suspect has been charged with one count of Aggravated Fleeing or Eluding a Police Officer (Class 4 Felony), one count of Misdemeanor DUI and thirteen additional Misdemeanor and petty driving offenses. He appeared in Bond Court this weekend where Judge Luis Aranda set bond at $100,000 with 10% to apply.
It is alleged that on Friday evening at approximately 8:15 p.m., a Warrenville police officer observed a purple Chevrolet Trailblazer, later determined to be driven by the suspect, traveling westbound on Butterfield Road at 74 mph. The officer activated his emergency lights and sirens, at which time the Trailblazer accelerated and entered I-88 westbound, ultimately reaching speeds of 100 mph before exiting at Eola Road.
During the pursuit, the suspect drove over a sidewalk, drove against traffic and drove over a median causing the vehicle to go airborne before crashing at Grand Boulevard and Miller Avenue.
After crashing, the suspect fled on foot only to be found a short time later in a nearby backyard and taken into custody. When officers searched the Trailblazer, they allegedly found an open container of alcohol.
“The recent wave of individuals fleeing from the police is reaching epidemic proportions,” DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin said. “As I have said before, driving is a privilege, not a right. It is a privilege that if abused, can lead to deadly consequences. We have been lucky thus far in this regard, but it is my fear that our luck may soon run out. I cannot stress this enough, if you hear sirens and see flashing lights behind you, pull over. Leading the police on a high-speed chase will only make matters worse.”
The suspect’s next court appearance is scheduled for May 15, 2023, for arraignment in front of Judge Daniel Guerin.
