1 In Custody Following Police Chase, Crashes In St. Charles: Police

ST. CHARLES, IL — One person is in custody following an incident Friday morning in St. Charles involving a driver who fled police and caused a crash that sent a car careening into a patrol car, police confirmed Friday morning.

Kane County Undersheriff Amy Johnson told Patch the person was being questioned Friday morning in connection with the incident. The identification of the person was not immediately available but is expected to be released later on Friday, she said.

The arrest comes following an incident that was first reported at about 6:30 a.m. when a Kane County Sheriff's Office lieutenant attempted to pull over a silver Ford Escape in the area of Randall and Crane roads in St. Charles. Police say the lieutenant observed traffic violations and was in an unmarked squad car with the car's police lights and sirens on, according to the sheriff's office news release.

But the car did not stop and continued south on Randall Road before turning east on Dean Street, authorities said. The vehicle then continued east on Dean Street before losing control and striking two parked and unoccupied cars on the east side of North 9th Street.

The collision pushed one of the parked cars, a Chevy Aveo, into the northbound lanes of traffic and into the path of the patrol car driven by the Kane County Sheriff's Office lieutenant, authorities said. The patrol car collided with the Chevy, causing extensive damage to the patrol car.

No one was injured in the incident, and the driver of the Ford Escape fled on foot, police said. Authorities established a perimeter and utilized K9 police dogs and a local drone team to try and track down the driver.

As of 10:45 a.m., authorities said they had one person in custody and additional details were expected shortly regarding the identification of the suspect, Johnson said. Police say it is currently unknown if drugs or alcohol played a role in the incident.

Police are working to determine how long the chase ensued, and the quick response by the lieutenant who attempted to pull the driver over is being credited for helping to keep the community safe, authorities said.

"Our patrol lieutenant observed a traffic violation and within seconds attempted to pull over the vehicle. I am working on the final calculations (on how long the chase lasted) but it did not last very long and there was no immediate danger to the public associated with this since we had the area covered immediately and schools were notified," Johnson said.

D303 Schools Placed On Lockout

The incident led to six schools within District 303 being placed on a lockout Friday morning, Scott Harvey, D303 chief communications officer, told Patch in an email response. Richmond Intermediate, Davis Primary, Wild Rose Elementary, Thompson Middle School, Haines Center, and the district administration building were all a part of today's lockout.

A lockout means classes remained in progress but doors are locked to ensure no one can enter the buildings, Harvey said. During the lockout, students were also kept inside, do not take part in any outdoor activities and no visitors are allowed into the buildings.

The lockout has since been lifted.

This is a developing story. Patch will update with more information as it becomes available.