Man charged with trying to kill Cook deputy by hitting him with car

A Wood Dale man has been accused of trying to kill a Cook County deputy by hitting him with a car.

DuPage County Judge Mia McPherson set bail at $2 million Friday for Eliaz Lopez, 18, of the 300 block of Pine Avenue.

He is charged with attempted murder of a police officer, aggravated battery to a police officer, leaving the scene of a personal injury accident and aggravated battery.

Authorities say that around 12:41 a.m. Wednesday, an off-duty Cook County, still in uniform, had just parked his patrol vehicle on the 300 block of North Elm Street in Itasca. He heard a loud Dodge Challenger about 60 yards away.

When the deputy shined his flashlight toward the vehicle, the driver of the Challenger revved the engine and drove directly at the deputy, hitting him and sending the deputy onto the hood of the car.

While the deputy was on the hood of the Challenger, the Challenger accelerated. After the deputy jumped off, the Challenger left.

The deputy was treated for a cut wrist, according to court records.

Lopez was arrested at his house in Wood Dale.

"The allegations that Mr. Lopez intentionally drove his vehicle directly at a uniformed deputy, striking him with his vehicle, and continued to accelerate with the deputy on the hood of the vehicle are outrageous," DuPage County State's Attorney Robert Berlin said in a news release. "The type of blatant attack on law enforcement alleged in this case will be vigorously prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law."

Lopez would need to post $200,000 to be freed pretrial.