A 17-year-old from Chicago is set to remain in custody after prosecutors say a burglary at an Oakbrook Court store turned into a high-speed police chase that ended with a Jeep on its side.
Judge Kishori Tank granted the state's request to deny pretrial release after prosecutors described the pursuit as posing a serious risk to officers and other drivers. Authorities say the teen, who was behind the wheel, tried to run off after the crash but was caught shortly afterward. No injuries were reported. The case is next due in court on June 25.
What Prosecutors Say Happened
According to a post by the DuPage County State's Attorney's Office, the incident started around 6:40 p.m. on June 17. Prosecutors say the 17-year-old stole $1,010 in merchandise from the Alo store at 68 Oakbrook Court, then took off in a red Jeep Wrangler.
The Jeep was allegedly driven north on Spring Road at more than 70 miles per hour in a 25 mile per hour zone. Prosecutors say the driver crossed into oncoming traffic, then left the roadway and rolled the vehicle. The juvenile then tried to flee on foot but was arrested a short time later, according to the office.
The teen is charged with burglary, a Class 2 felony, retail theft, a Class 3 felony, and aggravated fleeing and eluding, a Class 4 felony. The complaint notes that these are allegations and that the juvenile is presumed innocent.
Judge Orders Teen Detained
Judge Tank granted the state's motion to keep the juvenile detained before trial, according to the DuPage County office. In the post, State's Attorney Robert Berlin said the juvenile's alleged conduct put officers and motorists in danger. Oak Brook Police Chief Brian Strockis said the teen "demonstrated reckless disregard for safety," according to the same statement.
Prosecutors say the 17-year-old is scheduled to appear again on June 25 in Judge Tank's courtroom, when the court will revisit the question of detention as the case moves forward.
Part of a Bigger DuPage Crackdown
DuPage County prosecutors have increasingly been asking judges to hold defendants in cases where retail thefts end with high-speed pursuits, arguing that the driving itself poses a major public safety threat. Earlier DuPage cases that drew detention orders included pursuits that hit highway-level speeds and featured risky maneuvers, as reported by FOX 32 Chicago. Previous grab-and-run thefts at the Alo Yoga store in Oak Brook were documented by CBS Chicago.
Oak Brook police say they now lean on multi-agency coordination and technology such as GPS tagging in an effort to keep pursuits around the mall from dragging on and becoming more dangerous.
What Comes Next
The teen remains detained while prosecutors prepare for the June 25 hearing, when more details are expected to be presented in court and the judge will consider continued detention. The DuPage County office has emphasized that the charges are only accusations at this stage and that the juvenile is presumed innocent as the case proceeds. The release did not include any comment from defense counsel.
