Woodridge Man Led Cops On High-Speed Chase From Bensenville To Lake Bluff: Prosecutors

WOODRIDGE, IL — A Woodridge man faces felony and misdemeanor charges after police say he fled a traffic stop in Bensenville and led officers on a high-speed chase to Lake Bluff, driving into oncoming traffic, running red lights and hitting a squad car.

Thomas Philip, 73, of the 8200 block of Chesterton Drive, was charged with aggravated fleeing and eluding, driving without a license and operating an uninsured motor vehicle. Prosecutors say Philip's drivers license expired in 2019.

Bensenville police tried to pull Philip over for a traffic stop around 9:30 a.m. on March 18 around the 400 block of Irving Park Road. Philip is accused of fleeing "at a high rate of speed" and driving "into oncoming traffic on multiple occasion," a news release said.

The chase was ended by police about four minutes later because of safety concerns.

Around 10:40 a.m., Philips's car was spotted driving in the parking lot of a strip mall in Bensenville, per the news release. A squad car pulled in front of Philips. He is accused of backing up and hitting a squad car that was behind him before speeding away and skirting spike strips that officers had put down.

Philips is accused of speeding north on York Road and disregarding red lights before getting onto I-90 and making his way onto northbound I-294. Police say he reached speeds as high as 100 mph.

Philips was arrested after running over three spike strips officers had placed and was taken into custody near Buckley Road and I-94 in Lake Bluff, prosecutors say.

“For the fourth time in as many days, my office has filed charges against individuals who allegedly fled from the police instead of pulling over,” DuPage County State's Attorney Robert Berlin said in a statement.

Berlin aded, “The allegations that Mr. Philip fled authorities on two occasions, the second of which involved multiple jurisdictions through three counties, are very disturbing. This epidemic threat to public safety must come to an end. Every time someone flees authorities, they are putting themselves, the officers involved and the public at great risk, and it is my fear that our luck may soon run out with deadly consequences. The charges filed today once again send the crystal-clear message that if someone flees from police, we will use every tool available, including assistance from neighboring agencies and a helicopter, as in this case, to ensure that they are safely apprehended and appropriately charged."

Philip is being held in DuPage County Jail and is set to appear in court on April 13.