A Chicago woman's pre-trial release has been denied after she led police on a pursuit that ended in a collision and standoff near Oakbrook Center Mall. Terry Kahdijah, 30, faces multiple charges including two counts of aggravated fleeing and eluding a police officer, criminal damage to property, and several traffic offenses, WGN-TV reported.
The incident began to quickly unravel on Wednesday afternoon after Oak Brook police received a notification from a license plate reader about a black Audi Q5, tied to a burglary and retail theft, entering the mall area. According to the ABC7 Chicago account, Kahdijah's car rolled backward upon exiting the mall, making contact with an unmarked squad car before fleeing the scene.
The chase escalated when Kahdijah allegedly refused to comply with a traffic stop and engaged in a chase with speeds surpassing the legal limit. The pursuit culminated when her car collided with another vehicle while attempting to make a right-hand turn from the wrong lane, leaving her car inoperable on Route 83. The accused reportedly then engaged in a standoff with police, who used less-lethal means to gain visibility into her car before taking her into custody, WGN-TV noted.
Kahdijah's defiance continued at the hospital where she was treated for injuries sustained in the crash. While handcuffed to a hospital bed, she allegedly caused significant damage to hospital property. DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin condemned the actions stating, "The allegations that in the middle of the afternoon Ms. Kahdijah not only sped away from officers, but then crashed her car at the intersection of two of DuPage County’s busiest roadways are outrageous," WGN-TV stated. Her arraignment is scheduled for December 23.
