Police: Man fleeing cops hits several cars in downtown Naperville

A man accused of stealing from a local Target store led police on a chase that resulted in his crashing into several cars in downtown Naperville before he was caught on foot, authorities said.

Naperville police say they answered a theft call about 12:40 p.m. Thursday from the Target store on West Jefferson Street near Route 59. Police said store employees provided police with information about the suspect and his vehicle.

A short time later, a Naperville officer saw the vehicle police say was driven by Dwayne K. Smith, 21, of North Aurora traveling east on Jefferson Avenue, heading downtown.

During the pursuit, police said, Smith's car struck five vehicles in the roadway near Jefferson and Main streets, the heart of Naperville's downtown.

Smith sideswiped two parked cars parked outside of the Apple Store at 120 W. Jefferson, Sgt. Steven Schindlbeck said.

Smith then rear ended a vehicle, which struck two other cars at the intersection of Aurora Avenue and Main Street before Smith's vehicle became incapacitated, Schindlbeck said.

No injuries were reported in any of the crashes.

Schindlbeck said the driver fled on foot and was chased by police a few blocks south of the Main Street intersection.

“The suspect had to be Tazed before he was taken into custody,” he said.

Smith had been wanted for prior offenses in Kane and DuPage counties, including resisting a peace officer and failure to appear in court on domestic battery offenses, police said.

Smith is charged with two counts of felony retail theft, reckless driving, leaving the scene of an accident with vehicle damage of $1,500, driving without a license, driving without insurance and resisting arrest.

Two passengers in Smith's vehicle were arrested at the scene. They were later released.