Alert Aurora staffer helps nab man fleeing police

Chuck Nelson thought he was long past the days when his old high school football blocking techniques would come in handy.

But the assistant chief of staff to Aurora's mayor put his long-dormant talents to use Thursday morning when he helped apprehend a 17-year-old suspect who authorities at the time believed may have had a loaded gun.

Nelson was returning to city hall from a chamber of commerce breakfast when the incident occurred.

Nelson said he and Kane County Board member Bill Wyatt helped catch 17-year-old Arthur Mendoza, of the 1000 block of North Pleasure Court, who was being chased by police in connection with the discovery of a loaded gun in a Waubonsee Community College bathroom.

Mendoza and a 20-year-old man were released after several hours in custody; Mendoza was charged with obstruction of a police officer.

Nelson, still receiving a hero's accolades in his office Friday morning, said he heard screaming while he walked along Benton Street but initially didn't think anything of it. But the yelling and screaming got louder as he kept walking.

"Next thing I know this nice looking clean-cut kid comes running around the corner at me," Nelson said mimicking the incident in his office. "He tried to juke me this way and I got him. I'm in a suit that I really didn't want to get dirty because I only have two, and wingtips, but I bet I looked like a good blocking tight end out there."

Just behind Mendoza was Wyatt, who Nelson said had chased Mendoza down the Riverwalk to Benton Street, and who was the source of the yelling Nelson heard.

But Nelson said he only had Mendoza for a few seconds before Mendoza slipped away and took off running again.

"He didn't get very far the second time before he just ran out of gas and put his hands on his knees like he was done," Nelson said. "So when I caught up to him again I just told him to chill out, that things would only get worse for him if he kept running."

Nelson and Wyatt stayed with Mendoza until police arrived with guns drawn, yelling at Mendoza to get on the ground.

"I look up and for the first time in my life, I see a police officer with his gun drawn," Nelson said. "I looked at (Wyatt) and said we need to get ... out of here."

Police said the incident started when a college employee found the gun inside a garbage can and notified school officials and campus police who confiscated the weapon.

A short time later, a subject fitting Mendoza's description allegedly was observed entering the same restroom, picking up the same garbage can, and then leaving.

As they looked for a suspect, police questioned Mendoza, who denied being in the bathroom.

Authorities said Mendoza then ran from the building but was spotted by a police officer and cadet who gave chase through Aurora's downtown.

Police spokesman Dan Ferrelli said Friday that police are still investigating the men's alleged connection to the loaded gun found at the college's downtown campus at Stolp Avenue and Galena Boulevard.

"At this time, there is no direct connection between the two men and the gun," Ferrelli said. "Officers will process the recovered weapon for evidence and will also study security video from inside the school to try and find the offenders."

Waubonsee officials said no students or employees were threatened.