Teen Leads Cops On Car Chase Through Oak Lawn: Prosecutor

OAK LAWN, IL — A teen was arrested after leading police on a wild chase through Oak Lawn, prosecutors said. Essam Khalil, 18, appeared before Cook County Judge John Mahoney on a felony charge of aggravated fleeing and eluding. Khalil is also facing misdemeanor charges of aggravated assault, two counts of resisting arrest and traffic violations.

Around 5 p.m. April 9, Oak Lawn police tried to curb a vehicle in the 5700 block of 92nd Street, prosecutors said. The driver, later identified as Khalil, drove off, disobeying five traffic control devices, the prosecutor said. Police terminated the pursuit, but a few minutes later, officers spotted Khalil’s vehicle.

Officers blocked in Khalil, who took evasive maneuvers endangering other motorists, the prosecutor said, before being taken into custody. The teen has several pending traffic cases, according to the prosecutor.

Khalil’s attorney told the judge that his client was putting gas in his car at a gas station, when police came up and broke his car window.

“So you were just minding your own business putting gas in your car when police came and broke your window?” Mahoney asked.

Bail was set at $25,000. Khalil’s next court date is April 24 in Bridgeview.