Felon With Gun Crashes Into Squad Car, Flees Scene, Gets Arrested: PD

UNIVERSITY PARK, IL — A convicted felon faces several charges after crashing his car into a Park Forest squad car and fleeing the scene Sept. 12, Park Forest police said Tuesday.

Detrice Smith, 32, struck the officer's car while it was parked in a driveway off of Western Avenue near Steger Road, police said. Smith then fled the scene and was later taken into custody in University Park. The crash was captured on the officer's dash cam.

Smith, who was driving on a revoked driver's license, was found with a loaded handgun, ecstasy pills, and illegal cannabis, police said.

Smith—who has two addresses listed in University Park and Richton Park—was charged with armed violence, unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver, fleeing and eluding police, driving while license revoked, leaving the scene of an accident, unlawful possession of cannabis in a vehicle, and "MANY traffic charges. Oh, and operation of an uninsured motor vehicle," police said.

The officers—human and K9—who were in the squad at the time it was hit were not injured.