Loaded Stolen Gun Recovered After Joliet Police Chase

JOLIET, IL — Joliet policed arrested a 26-year-old resident early Thursday morning after police say he sped away from the traffic stop at a high rate speed. Officers later recovered a loaded stolen gun along the road of the pursuit, reports show. Marlon Johnson Jr. was later captured on the city's east side and delivered to the Will County Jail on charges of aggravated fleeing a peace officer and traffic violations, reports show.

Shortly after 12:10 a.m. on Thursday, Joliet police tried to pull over Johnson's car near Herkimer and Cass Streets after observing the vehicle commit a traffic violation, police said.

"The driver failed to stop and fled from the officers at a high rate of speed," police said. "After a short pursuit, the vehicle stopped in the 200 block of South Eastern Avenue. Officers identified the driver as Johnson Jr, and he was taken into custody for above offenses."

Joliet police say they later located a loaded gun in the roadway near the area where the pursuit began. The gun had been reported stolen. The involvement of the gun in relation to this incident remains under investigation, police indicated.

Will County Jail logs indicate that Johnson, who lives in the 2100 block of Hastings Drive, which is a Plainfield mailing address, was freed from detention early Friday morning after posting 10 percent of his $5,000 bail.