Man accused of fleeing police, crashing in to vehicles, in chase through Woodridge, Darien, Downers Grove
A Woodridge man is being held pretrial on charges that he fled police, damaged a squad car, and committed more than 30 misdemeanor and petty traffic offenses during a chase in Woodridge, Downers Grove and Darien.
Laron Robinson, 19, of the 7700 block of Deer Street, is charged with three counts of aggravated fleeing and eluding and one count of criminal damage to government-supported property, all felonies.
Authorities say that around 7:58 p.m. Friday, a Woodridge police officer reported seeing a white Kia sedan in the left lane on Woodward Avenue — later determined to be driven by Robinson — activate its right turn signal, cross into the right lane and turn right in one motion.
The officer followed the car and tried to pull it over in a residential neighborhood on Cambridge Road.
According to a news release from the DuPage County state’s attorney’s office, Robinson drove off and ignored stop signs at Stonewall Avenue and Springside Avenue.
The officer lost sight of the Kia.
At 8:04 p.m., someone reported being hit by a white sedan at 75th Street and Devereaux Road. Another crash was reported at 8:13 p.m. at Lemont Road and Woodmere Drive.
At 8:42 p.m., a Darien officer found the suspect Kia in the 8000 block of Windsor Drive. Authorities allege Robinson drove off, doing 50 mph in a 25 mph zone. At one point, authorities say, Robinson drove at the officer and passed him on the wrong side of the road.
According to authorities, Robinson drove into oncoming traffic on Lemont and Lyman Avenue, drove 70 mph in a 45 mph zone, and pulled into a house driveway on the 900 block of Rob Roy Place in Downers Grove.
When a squad car blocked him in, authorities say, he backed into the car, drove forward into some bushes, and became stuck in a lawn.
According to a prosecutor’s request to detain Robinson pretrial, Robinson told police he was nervous because he did not have a driver’s license; denied crashing into vehicles; and said he did not recognize the car he backed into as a police car.
The misdemeanor and petty charges include reckless driving, leaving the scene of a property-damage crash, driving without a valid license, driving with expired registration, speeding, and failure to obey stop signs, among other allegations.
ssarkauskas@dailyherald.com