Forfeiture: Armed Habitual Criminal Escapes From Joliet Police

JOLIET, IL — Will County Judge Art Smigielski has set bail at $500,000 and issued a warrant for the arrest of 28-year-old Shadon McDonald. The Lockport resident sped off from a Joliet police traffic stop on Sept. 5, crashed into a tree, ran through someone's yard and managed to get away from police by running into a tall prairie, court records show.

This week, the Will County State's Attorney's Office charged McDonald with being an armed habitual criminal, possession of a weapon by a felon and two counts of aggravated fleeing a peace officer.

On Sept. 5, McDonald was stopped by Joliet police while driving a 2016 Chevrolet Equinox near Collins and Liberty Streets.

"Officers observed that the vehicle had heavy tint on the front and rear windows," the civil forfeiture document states.

When two officers told McDonald the reason for the traffic stop was his tinted windows, he said "the officers were harassing him only because he was driving," court records show.

McDonald asked for an on-duty supervisor to respond to his traffic stop and one of the sergeants did. When officers asked him to lower his window, so they could measure the tint, McDonald replied, "No, I know they're dark," the forfeiture states.

When another officer asked why McDonald's hands were shaking, McDonald rolled up his windows and sped away, court documents show.

McDonald sped through several east-side neighborhood streets, and when he got to Ward Avenue, he crashed into a tree, disabling the Chevy Equinox, according to police.

Residents in the 400 block of Chase Avenue provided Joliet police with their Ring camera footage showing McDonald running northwest through their yard, court documents state.

McDonald ran into a tall prairie near Cleveland Avenue, and one of the Joliet officers gave up the chase after realizing McDonald got away, the complaint indicated.

Back at the crash site, Officer Anthony Hart-Davi "opened the driver side door, to which a loaded firearm dropped to the ground," the forfeiture stated.

McDonald is currently on parole from the Illinois Department of Corrections, court records state.

As of Friday, McDonald was not in Joliet police custody. His address is listed as the 200 block of Fairmont Avenue in Lockport.

Details of McDonald's arrest warrant are published on the Will County Warrants website.