Woman charged in high-speed police chase from Oak Brook to Chicago
A Chicago woman is accused of leading police on a miles-long chase that began in Oak Brook and continued on the shoulder of Interstate 290 at speeds in excess of 90 miles per hour, authorities said Monday.
Jenail White, 34, is charged with one felony count of aggravated fleeing and eluding a peace officer. She also faces multiple misdemeanor and petty traffic offenses.
White remained held Monday in DuPage County jail on $50,000 bail. She would have to post $5,000 to be released from custody.
The county's top prosecutor has been sounding the alarm about a rise in the number of drivers fleeing from police, calling it an “epidemic.” No one was hurt in Monday's pursuit, DuPage State's Attorney Robert Berlin said.
“The message is simple, if you attempt to run from police in DuPage County, you will be caught, charged and prosecuted,” Berlin said in a statement announcing the charges against White. “Do yourself and the motoring public a favor, if you hear sirens and see flashing lights behind you, pull over.”
The chase began just after 2:30 p.m. Saturday when an Oak Brook police officer saw a Nissan Rogue traveling east on 22nd Street near Route 83 with a paper license plate. After determining it was registered to a different vehicle, the officer turned on his emergency lights and sirens, prosecutors said.
Instead of pulling over, prosecutors said, White turned north on Route 83 and in heavy traffic fled from the officer, driving at more than 70 mph on the shoulder of the road. White then turned east on Roosevelt Road, where she reached speeds of approximately 94 mph, and drove east on I-290, where she again drove at roughly the same speed on the shoulder of the road in stopped traffic, prosecutors said.
White exited the tollway at Cicero Avenue, where she sideswiped a vehicle and crashed into a fence, authorities said. After crashing the SUV, White tried to flee on foot but was taken into custody, prosecutors said.
White is next due in court for her arraignment in front of Judge Michael Reidy on June 5.