Elgin man arrested after police chase, crash in St. Charles
An Elgin man has been charged after a Friday morning police chase ended with a crash in St. Charles.
Quinelle M. Franklin, 32, of the 1600 block of Mark Avenue, is charged with three counts of aggravated fleeing and eluding police, one count of speeding more than 35 mph over the speed limit, two counts of failure to use a turn signal and improper lane use.
Franklin was arrested after he was found hiding in the restroom of a Shell gas station on the 300 block of West Main Street, according to a Kane County sheriff's office news release.
Authorities allege Franklin was driving a silver Ford Escape on Randall Road near Crane Road around 6:30 a.m. when a sheriff's lieutenant in an unmarked squad car with police lights and a police siren tried to have him pull over.
Franklin kept driving south on Randall, then turned east onto Dean Street, authorities said.
Franklin was driving on Dean when he lost control of the vehicle and struck two unoccupied vehicles (a Nissan Rogue and a Chevrolet Aveo) parked on North 9th Street, according to the news release.
The Chevy Aveo ended up in the northbound lane, where the patrol car hit it. The patrol car sustained extensive damage, but no injuries were reported.
Franklin, meanwhile, ran away, the news release said.
St. Charles Unit District 303 put six schools on "lockout" while authorities searched the area, using drones and dogs.
"A lockout means there is a nearby concern, but no imminent danger inside our district buildings," district spokesman Scott Harvey said in an email. "However, doors are additionally secured to prevent outside entry. Students are brought inside from any outdoor activities and students arriving to school are allowed to enter the building. No visitors are allowed into the building during this time."
At 9:55 a.m., authorities learned Franklin was at the gas station, the news release said.
The school day was back to normal by 10:45 a.m., officials said.
Franklin is in Kane County jail, awaiting a bail hearing.
• Shaw Local News Network contributed to this report