Aurora PD 'Acted Properly' In Chase Before Fatal Crash: State's Attorney Finding

AURORA, IL — Following an investigation, the Kane County State's Attorney's Office determined four Aurora police officers "acted properly and followed department policy" moments before two men were killed following a June 2022 car chase.

Officials' findings, announced Friday, stem from a June 10 incident when 24-year-old Craig Garner, of Aurora, and his father, Gregory Garner, 52, of Chicago, were killed. Craig was wanted on a felony warrant, and his father was wanted by the Illinois Department of Corrections, Patch reported.

That morning, an Aurora police officer on patrol spotted a gold Chevrolet Impala that Arlington Heights police officers described as the car used by a suspect involved in a stabbing, officials said. The Aurora officer began pursuing the car and radioed for backup when the officer saw the car "commit a traffic violation" before pulling the driver over near Fourth Street and Galena Boulevard.

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After the officer confirmed the passenger, Gregory, was wanted on an arrest warrant, he asked the driver, Craig, to turn off the car's ignition. Instead, he sped away, driving south on Fourth Street, officials said.

The officer, as well as other squad cars that responded to calls for backup, pursued the Impala but "eventually terminated the pursuit as the Impala committed multiple traffic violations while traveling well above posted speed limits."

The car was traveling 90 mph and crashed 19 seconds after the pursuit ended, according to Kane County State's Attorney Jamie Mosser.

"There is no evidence that the officers acted in a willful or wanton way regarding their attempted stop of this vehicle," she said in a statement.

The Kane County Major Crimes Task Force was called in to investigate the incident due to the officers' involvement. By Illinois statute, Mosser was also required to review the investigation's findings and evidence obtained, including multiple witness accounts, officials said.

"It is an officer’s duty to protect the community, and these officers were doing so when they chose to pursue the Garners' vehicle," Mosser said.