A Chicago man, Claude Miles, age 28, has been ordered held in custody after being accused of leading police on a high-speed chase in a stolen car. Judge Joshua Dieden granted the State’s motion to deny pre-trial release for Miles, who faces two counts of Aggravated Fleeing and Eluding and one count of Possession of Burglary Tools.
According to DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin and Hinsdale Chief of Police Brian King, the incident began around 2:00 a.m. on February 24 when a Hinsdale officer noticed a Ford Fiesta with no rear license plate near Ogden Avenue and Pasquinelli Drive. When the officer tried to stop the vehicle, Miles allegedly fled at speeds reaching about 73 mph in a 35-mph zone. The pursuit continued through Downers Grove into Oak Brook, where officers used tire spikes to stop the vehicle. After driving over lane dividers and onto the wrong side of the road, Miles eventually stopped near Jorie Plaza and was taken into custody without incident. Police reported finding a flathead screwdriver and hammer inside the car. Further investigation revealed that the car had been reported stolen out of Chicago on February 16.
Judge Dieden ordered Miles to remain in custody pending a hearing on revoking his pre-trial release related to an earlier burglary and retail theft case scheduled for February 25 before Judge Margaret O’Connell.
State’s Attorney Berlin stated: “The allegations that Mr. Miles was not only driving a stolen motor vehicle, but also reached speeds of nearly 75 mph in a 35-mph zone to avoid apprehension are disturbing,” Berlin said. “Judge Dieden’s order to detain Mr. Miles pre-trial sends a strong message that in DuPage County if you engage in this type of dangerous behavior that endangers the lives of the public and the officers involved, you will be caught and remain behind bars awaiting trial. I thank the Hinsdale Police Department for their efforts on this case and their ongoing commitment to keeping our streets safe. I thank the Downers Grove Police Department for their assistance and the Oak Brook Police Department for their work in safely apprehending the defendant in this case. I also thank Assistant State’s Attorneys Anthony Raimondi and Jennifer Nielsen for their efforts in preparing a strong case against Mr. Miles.”
Chief King commented: “The arrest was made possible due to an alert Hinsdale patrol officer and the coordination with our law enforcement partners,” King said. “Oak Brook officers reacquired the vehicle which allowed Hinsdale officers to successfully spike the car putting an end to the pursuit. We are grateful for the cooperation and coordination we received from the Downers Grove and Oak Brook Police Departments. We especially like to thank State’s Attorney Bob Berlin and his staff for their attentiveness and commitment to law and order in DuPage County.”
Officials remind residents that these are charges only; all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
In other matters concerning DuPage County schools during the 2022-23 academic year, there were 142,363 students enrolled with an average student-to-teacher ratio of 13-to-1 across county schools (https://www.isbe.net/Pages/Home.aspx). Teacher absenteeism rates stood at 38.3%, above Illinois’ state average (https://www.isbe.net/Pages/Home.aspx). York Community High School had the highest enrollment of white students at 1,844; Metea Valley High School led among multiracial student enrollments with 162; Westmore Elementary School recorded ten Pacific Islander students—the most among local schools; while Addison Trail High School had an enrollment peak among Hispanic students at 1,259 (https://www.isbe.net/Pages/Home.aspx).
