Prosecutors say a late-night panic alarm at a Bloomingdale convenience store turned into a high-speed moped chase on I-355, a gas station crash, and now a Glendale Heights man sitting in jail with no pretrial release.
According to a press release from the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office, as reported by FOX 32 Chicago, 34-year-old Dillon Burgett of Glendale Heights is accused of leading officers on a pursuit that topped about 85 mph early Friday. The chase allegedly started at the Circle K on East Army Trail Road in Bloomingdale and ended with a crash at a nearby gas station.
Burgett is charged with two counts of aggravated fleeing and eluding, driving under the influence, driving without a valid license, and other traffic offenses. Prosecutors say his blood-alcohol content was 0.206, more than twice the legal limit, and he is due back in court on May 4.
The incident began around 12:49 a.m., when an officer responded to a panic alarm at the Circle K, according to the press release. Prosecutors say Burgett stumbled out of the store, argued with both the clerk and the responding officer, ignored commands, then hopped on a moped and took off. He allegedly ran a red light at Army Trail Road and Swift Road before heading onto I-355 southbound.
Chase Jumps To Tollway, Then Ends At Gas Station
Once on the tollway, Burgett is accused of weaving through traffic and hitting roughly 85 mph on the moped, according to prosecutors. They say he then exited onto North Avenue and ultimately steered into a Speedway gas station, where he jumped a curb, lost control, and collided with a passing vehicle. Officers arrested him at the scene.
Prosecutors say the combination of alleged high speeds, the gas station crash, and a reported 0.206 blood-alcohol level drove their decision to pursue serious charges, including aggravated fleeing and eluding, DUI, and multiple traffic offenses. DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin called the allegations “particularly troubling,” and Bloomingdale Director of Public Safety Frank Giammarese added that officers will pursue offenders “no matter the mode of transportation,” as reported by FOX 32 Chicago.
DuPage Prosecutors Take Hard Line On High-Speed Chases
The decision to hold Burgett without pretrial release fits a recent pattern in DuPage County, where prosecutors have been pushing a firm stance on high-speed pursuit cases. Earlier this year, an Aurora man was ordered held after a chase that allegedly reached about 107 mph, a case covered in Aurora man charged. Local officials say the goal is straightforward: avoid turning busy arterials and the tollway into crash sites.
Legal Stakes If Fleeing Charge Sticks
Burgett faces two counts of aggravated fleeing and eluding, a DUI charge, and several traffic-related counts. Under Illinois law, aggravated fleeing or attempting to elude a peace officer is a Class 4 felony for a first conviction and can lead to license revocation and vehicle seizure, according to the Illinois General Assembly statute on the offense.
Burgett is scheduled to return to DuPage County court on May 4, when prosecutors are expected to lay out more details of the case at upcoming hearings. Additional information is likely to emerge from court filings based on the press release the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office distributed to media outlets.
