WANTED ILLINOIS MAN FLED TO CHICAGO AFTER HITTING SQUAD CARS
At approximately 11:30 Tuesday night, (1/03/2023), a police officer with the Lake County Sheriff’s Department attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a black SUV near 44th Avenue and Grant Street in Gary, according to Lake County Sheriff Oscar Martinez Jr. The driver failed to stop for a traffic signal and was missing a working headlight and license plate.
The suspect fled at a high rate of speed heading north on Grant street, then entered westbound I-80/94 and traveled toward Chicago. Another Lake County officer joined the pursuit following it to the 115th Street exit in Chicago, where the suspect vehicle rear ended an Uber car.
Lake County police attempted to perform a Precision Immobilization Technique (PIT maneuver) to safely stop the fleeing SUV, Martinez stated. The SUV struck a Lake County officer’s patrol vehicle twice and eventually slowed to a stop. The occupants exited the SUV and fled on foot, heading west toward South Doty Avenue.
Chicago police officers were made aware of the suspects’ approximate last known location and spotted the driver in a marsh near South Doty Avenue.
The suspect was identified as 20-year-old Elijah Singleton, of South Holland, Illinois.
Chicago police have indicated he may face charges for spitting on a Chicago police officer during his arrest. Officers retrieved a 10 mm extended handgun magazine with 16 live rounds from the SUV. They also retrieved a .40 caliber magazine with two hollow-point live rounds in it and unopened packages of suspected marijuana, Martinez said.
Singleton was medically cleared and booked into a correctional facility in Cook County, pending extradition. It was determined that Singleton had an active South Holland warrant for theft. He could face multiple charges to be forwarded to the Lake County Prosecutor’s Office including: resisting law enforcement, refusing to identify himself, reckless driving and possession of marijuana. He will also face citations for traffic violations.
The police officer and Uber driver, whose vehicles were struck by the suspect’s SUV, were uninjured.
“This is a prime example of my continued commitment to pulling dangerous suspects off the streets of Gary and beyond, making the region a safer place to live,” Martinez said. “I would like to extend a special thanks to all of the officers involved in bringing this suspect to justice. They exhibited a high level of cooperation and professionalism,” Martinez added.
