3 teens face weapons charges after loaded AK-style rifle found during traffic stop

Three 17 year olds face weapons and other charges after a traffic stop in Zion Sunday night yielded a loaded AK-style rifle, a pistol and drugs, authorities said.

According to the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, a vehicle driven by a 17 year old with two 17-year-old passengers, was stopped about 8:15 p.m. near 27th Street and Galilee Avenue for a traffic violation.

The trio appeared unusually nervous, authorities said, and a police dog unit was called. The front seat passenger tried to flee after a deputy felt a firearm in his waistband, according to sheriff’s police, and was tackled by a deputy. A loaded pistol with an extended magazine containing 23 hollow-point rounds was recovered from the teen, authorities said.

During that struggle, the driver also fled but stopped when a deputy said he would use a Taser, police said.

The back seat passenger also had fled but was caught after a short chase, authorities said.

Authorities found a loaded 7.62 caliber AK-style rifle with a 30-round magazine in the vehicle along with about 75 grams of psilocybin mushrooms, cannabis and drug packaging materials, according to sheriff’s police.

The teens, from Chicago, Lindenhurst and unincorporated Antioch, were charged with aggravated unlawful use of a weapon and resisting arrest with drug charges pending in juvenile court, authorities said.