Juvenile to remain detained after Elmhurst police chase and firearm charges
A seventeen-year-old from Mount Prospect will remain in detention following charges of aggravated unlawful possession of a weapon and aggravated fleeing and eluding police, according to an announcement on Mar. 26 by DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin and Elmhurst Chief of Police Michael McLean. Judge Kishori Tank ordered the juvenile held until at least his next court appearance, which is scheduled for April 2.
Authorities say that on March 24, an Elmhurst police officer observed a black BMW sedan driving at high speed and weaving through traffic on Route 83. When the officer attempted a traffic stop, the vehicle allegedly fled, ran a red light at Route 83 and Riverside Drive, and crashed into another car. One occupant of the other vehicle suffered a broken leg in the collision. Police said they found a backpack containing an unserialized handgun—referred to as a "ghost gun"—with an extended magazine holding twenty-four rounds in the car.
Berlin said, “The allegations that this juvenile led officers on a high-speed chase and then crashed into another vehicle, injuring one of that vehicle’s occupants, are outrageous. To further aggravate the situation, it is alleged that the juvenile also was illegally in possession of a ghost gun with an extended magazine and twenty-four rounds of ammunition. This type of blatant disregard for the law and public safety will not be tolerated in DuPage County.” He also commended both Elmhurst Police Department officers involved in apprehending the suspect as well as Assistant State’s Attorneys Angela Bazianos and Anna Derkacz for preparing what he described as “a strong case against this juvenile.”
McLean said: “This juvenile offender showed complete disregard for the safety of the community by allegedly driving recklessly on IL Route 83, swerving around, and cutting off other motorists, even before the officer attempted a traffic stop. This dangerous individual then allegedly put innocent lives further at risk when he chose to flee while armed with an illegal, unserialized extended magazine ‘ghost gun’ causing an injury crash.”
DuPage County schools have been highlighted recently for their size; there were more than 142,000 students enrolled across county schools during the most recent academic year with approximately one teacher per thirteen students according to state education data. Teacher absenteeism rates reached over thirty-eight percent during this period as reported by state sources. York Community High School had among its highest white student enrollment totals last year according to official records, while Metea Valley High School recorded top numbers among multiracial students based on state data. Westmore Elementary School led Pacific Islander student enrollment figures per state statistics, whereas Addison Trail High School saw its highest Hispanic student count last year according to state information.
Officials remind members of the public that these are only charges; all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt.