Armed Man Flees Villa Park Cops: Authorities

VILLA PARK, IL – An armed man driving a stolen car led Villa Park police on a chase last week before being arrested, authorities said.

Michael Ducksworth, 35, of Harvey, faces a number of felony charges. A DuPage County judge denied bond for him.

Shortly before midnight Thursday, a Villa Park officer found that a 2020 Nissan Kicks SV was reported stolen the previous day in Harvey, DuPage County prosecutors said in a news release.

After other officers arrived, the first officer activated his emergency equipment and tried to stop Ducksworth, who then led them on an eight-minute, two-mile pursuit, the release said.

Ducksworth stopped in Oakbrook Terrace and ran away, police said. He had a gun and ignored officers' commands to drop it, according to the release.

Officers caught Ducksworth and tackled him to the ground, with Ducksworth falling on top of his gun, police said.

Ducksworth had a Taurus .380 handgun with five bullets in the magazine and two eight-balls of cocaine, police said. He continued to resist, but was restrained, police said.

“For the second time today, a DuPage County judge denied bond for a defendant accused of committing serious crimes,” DuPage County State's Attorney Robert Berlin said in the news release. "The quick apprehension and subsequent denial of bond sends the message that law enforcement in DuPage County takes violent crimes very seriously and the consequences of being caught here with an illegal, dangerous firearm will be swift and significant."

Ducksworth was charged with the felonies of being an armed habitual criminal, possessing a weapon while on parole, possessing a stolen vehicle and possessing a controlled substance. He also faces the misdemeanor of fleeing and eluding a police officer.