Two Elgin men accused of leading police on a high-speed chase down I-290 after shooting at another vehicle will remain in custody until their trial.
DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin and Elmhurst Chief of Police Michael McLean announced today that Judge Joshua Dieden has granted the State’s motion to detain pre-trial a pair of Elgin men charged with Aggravated Discharge of a Firearm – Direction of an Occupied Vehicle, a Class 1 Felony. One of the suspects is also charged with Aggravated Unlawful Use of a Weapon – No FOID, a Class 4 Felony, and the other with Aggravated Fleeing and Eluding, a Class 4 Felony.
According to police, in the early morning hours of Sunday, March 9, 2024, the victims were driving on the off-ramp exiting I-290 onto Lake Street in Addison when a gray Hyundai Sonata allegedly approached them from behind, crossed onto the shoulder before merging back onto the off-ramp, causing the front driver’s side of the Sonata to strike the front passenger side of the victims’ car. The Sonata, allegedly driven by on of the suspects, continued to drive away following the collision.
Following the collision, the victims followed the Sonata when, near Lake Street and Villa Avenue, the passenger in the Sonata leaned out of the front passenger side window and fired a handgun towards the victims’ car. The victims stopped following the Sonata at this time and immediately contacted police.
At approximately 1:06am, an Elmhurst police officer on routine patrol received information that the suspected Sonata was detected in Elmhurst. When the officer located the vehicle and activated his emergency lights and siren, the driver rapidly accelerated, ultimately reaching speeds of approximately 115 mph on I-290. The vehicle subsequently crashed on the exit ramp to St. Charles Road off I-290, going airborne and rolling before landing on its tires. The driver attempted to drive away, but was stopped and the driver arrested. The passenger escaped the car and fled, but was apprehended approximately ten minutes later.
When searching the Sonata, authorities recovered two live 9 mm rounds. Authorities also found a Polymer 80, or ghost gun, as well as 9 mm magazine loaded with ten rounds in a culvert where the passenger allegedly threw the gun as he fled.
“The alleged actions of both of these defendants are outrageous and will not be tolerated in DuPage County,” Berlin said. “Crashing into and then shooting at another vehicle before leading police on a high-speed chase, as alleged in this case, may be something you see in the movies, but in DuPage County, this type of behavior will quickly land you behind bars. Thankfully, no innocent motorists were injured or killed as a result of the defendants’ alleged actions.”
