Charges filed against 2 suburban men in police chase from NW Indiana to Chicago

Charges have been filed against two south suburban men arrested after a police chase that started in northwest Indiana and ended on the city’s South Side Thursday morning.

Dionte Vaughn, 26, of Markham, faces a count of aggravated vehicular hijacking in Cook County, according to authorities. He also faces charges of resisting arrest and auto theft in Lake County, Indiana.

Donzel Jenkins, 25, of Homewood, faces a count of aggravated vehicular hijacking, two counts of possession of a stolen motor vehicle and aggravated fleeing and eluding in Cook County, authorities said. He also faces charges of resisting arrest, auto theft and two counts of reckless driving in Lake County.

The chase started with police in Lake County pursuing a stolen silver Mercedes-Benz Thursday morning, according to Illinois State Police and the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.

A Lake County Sheriff’s Office Canine Unit deputy tried to stop the stolen car at 8:34 a.m. at 133rd and Calumet avenues in Cedar Lake, Indiana, according to a statement from the sheriff’s office.

The car drove off and the deputy pursued it until it stopped near 159th Street and Van Dam Road in south suburban South Holland, according to authorities.

As Deputy Doug Parker and his dog, Rocky, were getting out of the police car, they were hit by another vehicle, the sheriff’s office said. Parker suffered minor injuries and Rocky was believed to have suffered significant injuries.

Both were doing well and were expected to recover, the sheriff’s office said Thursday night.

Rocky, a 6-year veteran of the department, was taken to an animal hospital in Purdue, Indiana, for further treatment.

The suspects then ran away on foot, and just after 9 a.m. they smashed the window of a white Ford pickup truck and drove off, authorities said. The pickup had “Goodyear” written on the side.

State troopers and Chicago Police officers pursued the truck on Interstate 94 and Interstate 57 before it ultimately came to a stop near 93rd and May streets, where the suspects were taken into custody at 10:18 a.m., state police said.