A Chicago man has been denied pre-trial release after being charged with firearm violations following a traffic incident in Aurora Friday morning.
DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin and Aurora Chief of Police Keith Cross announced today that Judge Maureen Riordan has granted the State’s motion to deny pre-trial release for 33-year-old convicted felon who has been charged with one count of Armed Habitual Criminal (a Class X Felony); one count of Unlawful Use of a Weapon by a Felon (a Class 2 Felony); one count of Defacing a Firearm (a Class 3 Felony); and Misdemeanor DUI and other traffic offenses.
On Friday at approximately 6:35am, Aurora police responded to a two-vehicle crash with injuries. Upon their arrival, officers found an individual, later identified as the defendant, pinned in his vehicle. Officers also allegedly observed a firearm, later determined to be a loaded Glock 22, .40 caliber with a defaced serial number and an extended magazine with eighteen rounds in the magazine and one in the chamber, in plain view on the driver’s side floorboard near the gas pedal of the suspect’s vehicle. Once extracted from his vehicle, he was transported to a local hospital for medical treatment.
Prosecutors allege that the suspect drove his vehicle into oncoming traffic and crashed into another vehicle head-on, causing injury to the other driver, who was also transported to a local hospital. The suspect, who was released from the hospital later that day, has prior convictions for Unlawful Use of a Weapon by a Felon out of Kane County and Aggravated Robbery out of Cook County.
“It is alleged that [the suspect], a convicted felon, was not only illegally in possession of a loaded firearm with an extended magazine, but also crashed his vehicle into an innocent motorist’s vehicle, causing injury,” Berlin said. “As a convicted Felon, he has forfeited his right to legally possess a firearm. The charges filed against [the suspect] are very serious and will be met with the full force of the law. We are all thankful the victim in the car the suspect allegedly crashed into was not seriously injured or worse.”
The suspect’s next court appearance is scheduled for December 23, 2024, for arraignment in front of Judge Margaret O’Connell.
