Suspect arrested after Lake County car theft crew leads police on pursuit that ends in crash near Waukegan school

16/12/2023

One suspect is in custody and several others were able to escape following a police pursuit involving three stolen vehicles that ended in one of the cars crashing in front of Clearview Elementary School at Williamsburg Drive and Berwick Boulevard in Waukegan Friday morning. | Photo Submitted to Lake and McHenry County Scanner

Authorities say a suspect is in custody after a Lake County vehicle theft crew led police officers on a chase that ended with one of the stolen vehicles crashing near a school in Waukegan. The Lake County Sheriff’s Office responded around 7:55 a.m. Friday to the 1100 block of Bellows Way in Volo for a report of a stolen vehicle.

Lake County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Chief Christopher Covelli said the victim reported he went outside and noticed his 2022 Kia Stinger was stolen from his driveway. The victim reviewed video surveillance and observed a white SUV pull up to his driveway around 7 a.m. Two men, in their late teens to early 20s, exited the SUV and approached the Kia.

Covelli said one of the men got into the driver’s seat of the Kia and backed down the driveway before fleeing the scene.

Sheriff’s deputies worked with the victim to track the stolen vehicle in real time. Sheriff’s dispatchers were able to spot the stolen vehicle driving while reviewing traffic cameras, Covelli said. Dispatchers and responding deputies noted the Kia was in a caravan with the white SUV, determined to be a Hyundai Tucson, and a black Dodge Charger.

It was determined the Hyundai was stolen from Lincolnshire and used in an earlier attempted armed carjacking in Round Lake Friday morning. The Dodge was stolen from Lindenhurst. Sheriff’s deputies located the caravan of stolen vehicles in the area of Green Bay Road and 33rd Street in Beach Park, Covelli said.

Sheriff’s deputies attempted to stop the stolen vehicles but the drivers of all three refused to stop.

Covelli said deputies pursued the vehicles for approximately four miles. During the pursuit, the Dodge Charger continued southbound when the Kia and Hyundai turned on a side street in Waukegan. The driver of the Kia struck a utility pole in the area of Williamsburg Drive and Berwick Boulevard in Waukegan as the chase continued.

The driver and passenger fled from the Kia, which crashed directly in front of Clearview Elementary School. The driver was quickly apprehended by one of the deputies, Covelli said. The passenger was seen by a witness entering the stolen Hyundai before the Hyundai fled again.

Nobody was injured in the incident.

Covelli said the driver of the stolen Kia, an 18-year-old, is in custody pending a review of the incident with the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office.