Robbery suspects fleeing traffic stop crash into Des Plaines police vehicle, injure officer

A pair of men linked to a robbery in Chicago were arrested Tuesday in Des Plaines, after the stolen vehicle they were in crashed into a police squad while trying to flee a traffic stop, authorities said Wednesday.

The officer driving the squad car that was struck sustained minor injuries, police said.

Torrence K. Reese, 25, of 4200 block of West Belmont Avenue, is charged with aggravated fleeing and eluding, obstructing a peace officer, improper use of registration of certificate of title and two traffic violations stemming from the arrest Tuesday afternoon near downtown Des Plaines, police said.

Tajoris K. Miller, 29, of the 9200 block of South Manistee Avenue, is charged with obstructing a peace officer and identity theft, according to police.

Their arrests came after Des Plaines police officers were called to the 1300 block of Jefferson Street at about 12:20 p.m. Tuesday to assist Chicago police in the apprehension of robbery suspects. Chicago police had tracked a phone taken in the robbery to that location, where the suspects were believed to be armed and in a stolen Audi Q8.

Police spotted the Audi driving westbound on Jefferson Street and then turning northwest onto Miner Street, where officers initiated a traffic stop, authorities said.

The vehicle stopped briefly on Miner to pick up Miller, who was leaving a building in the area, and then quickly attempted a U-turn on Miner to flee, police said. Instead, the vehicle collided with a marked squad car.

Reese, the accused driver, and Miller attempted to run away, but were capture after a brief chase, police said.

Police said officers later found a .40-caliber handgun, loaded with an extended magazine, and a stolen

9-millimeter handgun, also loaded with an extended "drum" magazine, inside the Audi.

Officers also recovered several fraudulent credit cards and identification cards bearing Miller's picture with different names, police said. Investigators contacted those people and they indicated they did not give Miller permission to open accounts in their names, police said.

Police said their investigation is ongoing. Detention and court date information was not available for either Reese or Miller.