'Pressing Our Luck' With Oak Brook Chases: Official

OAK BROOK, IL – With another high-speed chase in Oak Brook, an official said Monday that he feared "we are pressing our luck."

On Friday, authorities arrested Chrischauna Smith, 22, of Oak Brook; Jajuan Jarmon, 18, of Chicago; and a youth, according to a news release from DuPage County prosecutors. The chase was about 5 p.m. Friday.

Wearing hoodies and surgical masks, Jarmon and the youth went into Nordstrom Rack on 22nd Street and stole $377 in fragrances, police said. They then jumped into a car, speeding away. An officer patrolling outside followed them.

With the officer in pursuit, the driver, Smith, made an illegal U-turn against a red light and reached speeds of 115 mph, according to the release. Smith entered Interstate 294, with the officer losing sight of the car near Mannheim Road, police said.

A short while later, Oak Brook officers driving on the shoulder of Interstate 290 in stopped traffic saw Smith's car in the right lane, police said.

Authorities said Smith then cut off the officers and struck a squad car, causing both cars to go off the road, police said. Smith and Jarmon were then arrested. The youth ran away, but was apprehended, police said.

"This alleged fleeing and eluding is very concerning as it allegedly occurred in a very busy shopping district during rush hour," DuPage County State's Attorney Robert Berlin said in the news release. "Once again, I fear we are pressing our luck, and it is only a matter of time before someone gets seriously injured or killed."

Smith faces one felony count of aggravated fleeing and eluding, with her bond set at $100,000. Jarmon, whose bond was set at $30,000, was charged with felony counts of burglary, retail theft and contributing to the delinquency of a minor, while the youth faces retail theft and burglary charges.