Driver fleeing police suffers life-threatening injuries after crash in Joliet; 3 others hurt
A driver is suffering life-threatening injuries after crashing a car while fleeing from police in Joliet, Illinois, early Sunday morning.
Joliet police said just before 2 a.m., an officer saw a Cadillac CTS traveling southbound on Raynor Avenue without headlights and taillights on. The Cadillac turned westbound onto Black Road, and the officer attempted to conduct a traffic stop.
The driver and sole occupant, a 21-year-old Joliet man, of the Cadillac ignored the attempted stop and drove away from the officer at a high rate of speed and in a reckless manner, while continuing westbound on Black Road, police said.
The officer ended the pursuit for safety before reaching Black Road and Midland Avenue.
The Cadillac driver continued westbound, where they disregard a red light at the intersection of Black Road and Larkin Avenue and collided with a Chevrolet Cruze that was traveling northbound on Larkin Avenue at Black Road. The Chevrolet had the green light before entering the intersection, police said.
The Cadillac then left the roadway, hitting a utility pole and overturning in a grassy area. Police said the driver had to be extricated from the vehicle by fire crews and taken to Saint Joseph Medical Center with life-threatening injuries. He was later flown to Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood for further treatment.
The driver and two adult male passengers of the Chevrolet suffered non-life-threatening injuries and were also taken to Saint Joseph for treatment.
The crash left the roadway closed for several hours. The crash remains under investigation.
Anyone with video footage or information regarding this incident is encouraged to contact the Joliet Police Department Traffic Unit at 815-724-3010.
