Man charged with leading Oak Brook police on chase in a stolen car

A Cicero man has been charged with fleeing from Oak Brook police in a stolen car Wednesday night, authorities said Friday.

Javier Barajas, 22, faces one felony count of aggravated unlawful possession of a stolen motor vehicle and one felony count of aggravated fleeing and eluding.

Oak Brook police were alerted by a Department of Homeland Security helicopter to a suspected stolen vehicle traveling through the village at about 10:19 p.m. Wednesday.

Police began following the car, a 2021 Camaro ZL1 valued at more than $60,000, according to the DuPage County state’s attorney’s office.

Officers continued to follow the Camaro, allegedly driven by Barajas, to Army Trail Road, where it went on I-290 east, the state’s attorney’s office said in a news release.

A trooper with the Illinois State Police joined Oak Brook officers and turned on their emergency lights, and Barajas fled, prosecutors alleged.

At I-290 near St. Charles Road, the Oak Brook police officer turned on his emergency lights and sirens, and Barajas fled from the officer, reaching speeds over 100 mph in a 45-mph construction zone, the news release stated.

Officers followed Barajas to 17th Street in Maywood, where he got out of the car and fled on foot, according to the release. He was taken into custody a short time later on 15th Avenue.

A judge denied prosecutors’ motion to detain Barajas pre-trial. He is scheduled for his arraignment on June 17.