Two teenage boys are facing felony charges after allegedly fleeing Chicago Police on the Northwest Side early Saturday and crashing into a pair of squad cars in north suburban Niles, leaving an officer injured.
At 12:07 a.m., officers saw a Ford Explorer traveling north at a high rate of speed on Northwest Highway from Oshkosh Avenue shortly after hearing a report of shots fired nearby, according to Chicago Police. The officers then saw something thrown from the driver’s side window and tried to pull the Explorer over, but the driver took off.
A short time later, the Explorer was traveling north on Milwaukee Avenue when the driver lost control and the SUV struck a marked Niles squad car that was stopped at Oakton Street, Niles police said. The impact of the crash forced the squad car into an unmarked squad car and another vehicle.
The officer in the marked car was pinned inside and had to be extricated, authorities said. He was taken in good condition to Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge.
No other injuries were reported, authorities said.
Two 16-year-old boys were taken into custody after the crash, authorities said.
One of them was charged with aggravated fleeing from police at more than 20 mph above the speed limit, while the other was charged with possession of a controlled substance, both felonies, according to Chicago Police. They were both also charged with a misdemeanor count of criminal trespass to a vehicle.
The driver was issued traffic citations for driving 70 mph in a 35 mph zone, failing to reduce speed to avoid an accident, improper lane usage, no insurance and damage to property, Niles police said.
