Teen Dies, 2 Critical After Shooting Suspects Crash On Glenwood

JOLIET, IL — Joliet police said one person was killed, and two men were critically injured during a Wednesday night crash in the 1100 block of Glenwood Avenue. The three occupants of the car, determined to be stolen, had been fleeing from Joliet police following a gunshot incident on the city's east side, near Cass and Collins Streets, police announced.

The Will County Coroner's Office has identified the fatality traffic crash victim as 17-year-old Kahleel Gaines-Streeter.

At the time of the 8:44 p.m. crash on Glenwood, the stolen car was traveling at high speeds without any lights on, according to police. The driver lost control and struck a huge tree near the intersection of Glenwood Avenue and Catherine Street.

The driver and front passenger were taken to St. Joe's hospital, and the backseat passenger was taken to Silver Cross Hospital.

The 17-year-old front seat passenger died at St. Joe's, and the driver was flown to Loyola Medical Center in Maywood with critical injuries, police said. The Will County Coroner's office said the passenger who was killed is unidentified.

The backseat passenger remains in critical condition at Silver Cross, police said. During the investigation of the crash, a handgun was recovered from the car, Joliet Police Sgt. Dwayne English told Joliet Patch.

According to police, officers were initially called to Cass and Collins Streets after someone was shooting a gun from a car around 8:30 p.m.

"Upon arrival, it was determined that shots had been fired from a vehicle containing three suspects while in the area," Sgt. English said.

A short time later, Joliet police spotted a car matching the suspect's description near Cass and Eastern Avenue, and the car was stolen, police announced.

When officers tried to stop the car, the driver refused to pull over, driving at a high rate of speed and a police pursuit ensued, traveling westbound on Cass Street, authorities said.

Joliet officers on the city's east side lost sight of the fleeing car as it crossed the Cass Street Bridge, however, other officers spotted the car as it headed west on Western Avenue at a high rate of speed, police said.

"Officers terminated the pursuit out of a concern for safety after the driver continued traveling at a high rate of speed into residential neighborhoods without headlights," English announced.

A short time later, someone called 911 to report a crash involving one car in the 1100 block of Glenwood Avenue.

Officers determined this was the fleeing stolen vehicle, English indicated.