Suspected Impaired Driver Flees Police, Hits South Roxana Chief's Squad Car, But Caught

SOUTH ROXANA - At 12:30 a.m. on April 4, South Roxana attempted to initiate a traffic stop on a suspected impaired driver which resulted in a vehicle pursuit and ended in a traffic crash in East Alton. The suspect vehicle fled from the accident with heavy vehicle damage.

The driver of the other car was taken to a local hospital and treated for injuries sustained in the crash. The police officer contacted Police Chief Bob Coles to inform him about the accident.

Chief Coles responded to the scene to check on the condition of the driver and his officer. Due to the extent of the damage, Chief Coles believed the driver could not have made it too far from the accident. Chief Coles had South Roxana Officer Bryce Dell ride with him to canvass the area to look for the fleeing vehicle.

Chief Coles found the vehicle and driver located parked behind a closed business on Fosterburg Road in Alton. When the officers attempted to take the subject into custody, the subject fled from the officers and another vehicle pursuit began. The subject ended up ramming the police chief’s squad car and eventually jumped out of the vehicle where a short foot pursuit was initiated and the subject was taken into custody in Godfrey.

Illinois State Police were called out to work the wreck involving the police car. The arrested subject was transported to the South Roxana Police Department. The name of the individual is being withheld until formal charges are sought through the Madison County State's Attorney’s Office. The police department will be seeking multiple counts of Aggravated Fleeing and Eluding, Driving Under the Influence, and leaving the scene of a personal injury accident.

"I would like to thank the Madison County Sheriff's Department for their assistance in bringing this subject into custody and the East Alton Police Department for the previous pursuit into their town," Chief Coles said. "I appreciate Representative Amy Elik who attempted to safeguard our community and law enforcement by enhancing the penalties for the people who jeopardize everyone’s safety by fleeing from the police.

"Unfortunately, the elected officials in Chicago decided the safety of our citizens is not a concern and refused to even hear house bill HB4585 regarding the aggravated fleeing and eluding. The bill did not even receive a committee hearing because the bill was a penalty enhancement. So, for me to hear elected officials out of Chicago claiming they are pro-law enforcement, and the safety of our communities is their focus is far from the truth.

"With Chicago having one of the highest crime rates in the nation and the approach of decriminalizing criminal behavior has already led to less effective law enforcement and more dangerous communities. I guess the approach should be to let the impaired drivers go and hope the injuries they caused in one crash don't result in another crash where someone else dies."

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