Police: Elgin man fleeing cops ends up in Fox River

A 20-year-old man was rescued, treated and then arrested after he fell through ice on the Fox River Sunday afternoon while fleeing officers, Elgin police said.

Officers spotted Melvin Ramsey, of the 200 block of Jewett Street in Elgin, walking near the Chicago Street train depot at about 10:30 a.m. Sunday, police said. Knowing there were arrest warrants out for Ramsey, the officers called at him to stop walking. Ramsey fled instead, police said.

After several minutes of running from officers south around the railroad tracks and the Fox River, Ramsey tried to cross the river on ice that had formed during the recently chilly weather. He made it a short distance from the shore before the ice gave way and he fell through into the river, according to police.

After trying to save Ramsey by throwing ropes to him, an officer retrieved a lifesaver ring from the nearby National Street Bridge, police said. Using a combination of the ring and their ropes, officers brought Ramsey to the shore.

Ramsey was taken to Presence Saint Joseph Hospital in Elgin for treatment of minor injuries he suffered falling through the ice, police said. After being treated and released he was taken to Elgin city jail.

Ramsey will appear in bond court Monday morning on the several outstanding warrant charges from previous cases as well as a new charge of resisting arrest from Sunday. Police did not disclose the charges attached to the warrants.