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Illinois Traffic Law

Legal Consequences of Evading Law Enforcement: A Case Study from McHenry County

October 2, 2024

Illinois police officer.

A Hampshire felon, led a high-speed police chase, crashed, and faces multiple new charges including weapon possession.

Key Takeaways

  • A Hampshire man, a previously convicted felon, led police on a high-speed chase exceeding 90 mph and was later apprehended after fleeing on foot.
  • The Hampshire man now faces several charges including aggravated unlawful possession of weapons, fleeing and eluding police, and theft of stolen property.
  • Due to his criminal history and the severity of the new offenses, he was deemed a flight risk and threat, leading to his pretrial detention.
  • Legal Consequences of Evading Law Enforcement: A Case Study from McHenry County

    Felon Flees Police

    A Hampshire man, a previously convicted felon, led police on a car chase late on a recent Friday, then proceeded to flee on foot. He had been driving at speeds upwards of 90 miles per hour when a McHenry County Sheriff’s deputy activated sirens and signaled for him to pull over. The driver clearly had other ideas and sped off before crashing his vehicle, exiting, and taking off.  

    Charges and Previous Arrests

    This particular person has a record of previous arrests and a felony conviction. He was convicted in 2013 of mob action and sentenced to felony probation. A conviction on a charge of mob action requires that the defendant acted together with one or more persons without authority of law, and that the defendant knowingly, intentionally, and recklessly disturbs the public peace by the use of force or violence.  

    According to the criminal complaint filed in McHenry County Court, he now faces charges of aggravated unlawful possession of weapons or ammunition by a convicted felon, which is a Class 3 felony; aggravated fleeing and eluding a police officer while exceeding 21 miles per hour over the speed limit; resisting an officer; and 3 counts of theft of stolen property not exceeding $500.

    The accused was found to be in possession of ammunition, a Walther PPS magazine which was loaded with five live 9 millimeter rounds. Due to his past conviction with a felony, this was a further violation.  

    He was also allegedly in possession of a pill bottle containing twenty-one 800 milligram strength Ibuprofen pills and diabetic equipment which were allegedly stolen from vehicles in Kane and Dekalb Counties, along with some surveying equipment allegedly stolen in Dwight.

    He was ordered to be detained in the county jail pretrial during a detention hearing. This was due to the fact that the Judge stated that this person “has a concerning history” and that he is a threat and a flight risk.  

    Evading Police

    According to the Illinois Municipal Code, the “offense of aggravated fleeing or attempting to elude a peace officer is committed by any driver or operator of a motor vehicle who flees or attempts to elude a peace officer, after being given a visual or audible signal by a peace officer” and when this is at a rate of speed at least 21 miles per hour over the legal speed limit.  

    Any person convicted of a first violation of this Section will be guilty of a Class 4 felony, and for a second subsequent violation they will be guilty of a Class 3 felony and have their driver’s license revoked. If it had not been “aggravated”, meaning committed under circumstances that allow for increased punishments over what the crime would usually receive, this would have been a misdemeanor. In this case, the accused was going over 90 miles per hour in a 45 mile per hour zone, so he violated the circumstance of it being 21 miles per hour over the legal limit which allows for increased punishments. And unfortunately for him, he’s also a previously convicted felon, which is a further circumstance that allows for increased punishment of a new crime.

    https://www.shawlocal.com/northwest-herald

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    Written by
    Noah B. Dwyer
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