A known gang member is one of two people in custody following a violent collision on Chicago’s West Side.
The incident began Monday afternoon when Cicero police officers stopped a blue sedan for tinted windows.
Officers pulled the vehicle over in the 4900-block of West 26th Street.
The driver initially complied before suddenly speeding away from the scene.
Cicero police confirmed the sedan had been previously stolen within the city of Chicago.
Authorities chose not to engage in a high-speed chase through residential streets.
Instead, they deployed a tracking device and alerted the Chicago Police Department.
CPD located the vehicle, which was sporting temporary Indiana license plates.
The driver again refused to stop for officers and continued fleeing westbound on Madison Street.
The stolen sedan eventually slammed into a black pickup truck heading northbound on Oakley Avenue.
The impact caused the sedan to strike the passenger side of the truck with significant force.
Two occupants inside the stolen car immediately fled the scene on foot.
Cicero officials confirmed they successfully apprehended both individuals shortly after the crash.
One of the suspects is identified as a known gang member from the Cicero area.
The driver of the pickup truck, a 57-year-old man, suffered severe blunt-force trauma.
Emergency responders transported him to Stroger Hospital in serious condition.
Chicago police stated that no citations have been issued as the investigation continues.
Recent History
The Near-West Side has seen a troubling rise in high-speed crashes involving stolen vehicles this year.
This specific intersection at Madison and Oakley is a busy corridor for both commuters and local residents.
Nearby West Town and East Garfield Park have also reported an increase in “rim and run” thefts where stolen cars are used for secondary crimes.
Last month, a similar incident occurred just blocks away involving a vehicle fleeing a neighboring suburb.
Community leaders have expressed growing concern over the safety of innocent drivers during these police pursuits.
The use of GPS tracking technology by Cicero police is part of a newer strategy to reduce dangerous high-speed chases.
Despite these efforts, the physical toll on Chicago’s civilian drivers remains a major point of contention for local safety advocates.
