Officials: Zion man was drunk, fleeing police before being shot
A 24-year-old Zion man is accused of being intoxicated when he started a police chase that ended after he was shot by an officer, authorities said Thursday.
Devon Davidson, of the 2600 block of Hermon Avenue, was ordered held on $750,000 bail in the Lake County jail after a bond court appearance on charges of aggravated driving under the influence of alcohol and aggravated fleeing and eluding police, said Cynthia Vargas, spokeswoman for the Lake County State's Attorney's Office. Davidson is also charged with possession of cannabis, possession of cannabis with intent to deliver, driving on a suspended license and other motor vehicle citations.
Vargas said Davidson was speeding and his vehicle's temporary license plate was unreadable when officers tried to stop him at 29th Street and Galilee Avenue at 11:07 p.m. Tuesday.
Davidson initially pulled over but drove away when an officer approached the car, Vargas said. While police chased him, Davidson's vehicle reached speeds of 65 mph in a 35 mph zone, she said.
The chase appeared to end when officers blocked Davidson's car in the driveway of his mother's house on the 2700 block of 27th Street, Vargas said. However, as an officer approached, Davidson put the car in reverse and hit a squad car in an attempt to escape, Vargas said.
Davidson "cut the wheel so the car was going in the officers' direction," when an officer then shot Davidson in the chest, Vargas said.
Sheriff's Detective Christopher Covelli, spokesman for the Lake County Major Crimes Task Force, said he could confirm "it appears one bullet was fired from the officer's weapon."
Covelli said the shooting is being investigated by the task force, and more charges are possible, he added.
Davidson drove away from the area after being shot, Vargas said. He returned to his mother's house a short time later and he was arrested.
He was taken to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville, where he was treated for the superficial gunshot wound and released into police custody, authorities said.
Vargas said Davidson admitted to police he was intoxicated when he escaped. Davidson had a .20 blood alcohol content, more than twice the legal threshold, she said.
The major crimes task force was called in to investigate the officer-involved shooting, per department protocol and state law, officials said. The task force has requested assistance from the Chicago FBI Civil Rights Division.
Davidson is due back in court Aug. 11.