Authorities: Teen stole cars, charged at police, hurt pair in car, got shot in the face
An 18-year-old Ingleside man is in critical condition Friday evening after a wild night in which police say he stole two cars, rolled one of them over, tried to steal a third one, led police on chases, tried to deliberately crash into squad cars, seriously injured another couple after hitting their car head-on, and was shot in the face.
Attempted murder charges have been leveled against Ronald Q. Maas, of Ingleside, who is in Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville. He also has been charged with theft, leaving the scene of a personal injury accident, aggravated fleeing and eluding, attempted theft, aggravated assault and criminal damage to government property, and later aggravated DUI after authorities said he registered a blood-alcohol level of .13.
Authorities said he also had been driving on a suspended license.
In addition, authorities allege he had stolen liquor from the Wal-Mart in Round Lake Beach, although it has not been definitely established when.
The Lake County state's attorney's office authorized charges against Maas on Friday.
Lt. Christopher Thompson of the Lake County sheriff's office and other authorities gave the following account of all that happened:
The first chase started at 10:40 p.m. Thursday when Round Lake police officers spotted a stolen 2009 Ford sedan near Washington Street and Cedar Lake Avenue. Maas, who was driving the Ford and wanted on an outstanding burglary warrant, fled.
According to authorities, the car had been stolen out of Chicago and had been reported missing Nov. 9.
Officers pursued for a short while and stopped, requesting instead that a report of the stolen auto be broadcast to all Lake County agencies.
About 10 minutes later, Lake Villa police found the Ford rolled over on Route 83 and that Maas had taken a second car, a 2002 F-350 Ford pickup, from the 200 block of Burnett in Lake Villa.
Maas then picked up a 15-year-old female friend from the 23000 block of West Liberty Avenue in Lake Villa. A sheriff's deputy spotted the pair at 11:15 p.m. near Petite Lake and Old Petite Lake roads in unincorporated Lake County, but when he tried to pull the truck over, Maas again took off.
Two sheriff's deputies next saw the stolen truck at 11:31 p.m. speeding north on Forest Avenue near Route 134 in Ingleside. But once the driver saw the deputies, the Ford turned around and came right at them.
The deputies moved the vehicles to avoid being struck, but one was damaged after it was backed into a guardrail. Maas turned east on Route 134, where he hit another pickup truck, then put the stolen truck in reverse and accelerated, striking a squad car with the deputy inside.
Maas put the vehicle in drive and rammed the pickup truck again, before bashing the sheriff's vehicle once more.
A Round Lake Heights officer shot at Maas' vehicle, hitting him in the face. Still, Maas was able to drive off and avoid capture.
Grayslake police next saw Maas driving north on Route 45 from Route 120 about 12:25 a.m. Friday, Thompson said. Grayslake officers attempted to stop him, but Maas accelerated to speeds of more than 80 mph, authorities said.
The chase finally ended when Maas crossed the centerline of Route 45 in the stolen truck and struck a 2013 Chevrolet Spark head on. The truck rolled over.
Maas, who had a gunshot wound to his cheek and then a broken arm from the rollover, ran away near the J & B Ranch on Route 45.
The 15-year-old girl identified Maas, which triggered a manhunt in the woods near the crash scene. She was taken to Condell for treatment of minor injuries, suffering abrasions and a wrist injury.
The two passengers of the Chevrolet Spark were injured more seriously and were also taken to Condell.
Maas was seized by police about 1:20 a.m. Friday when a 911 dispatcher received a call from someone claiming to hear "moaning" at a barn near the J&B Ranch, according to authorities.
Two sheriff's deputies found Maas, who had climbed into a work truck and was attempting to put the vehicle in drive when deputies moved in, Thompson said. Maas then was brought to Condell.
George Filenko, commander of the Lake County Major Crime Task Force and Round Lake Park's police chief, said it appears all the officers handled the chase appropriately.
"If there is a life-safety issue involved, that's when they end the pursuit," Filenko said.
Round Lake police and the Lake County Major Crime Task Force reviewed the circumstances of the case with prosecutors before the charges against Maas were approved Friday.