
A man who fled from police at a high rate of speed, crashed into a gazebo and then drove into the Fox River near Fox River Grove has been sentenced to prison.
Jarrail R. Ford-Gresham, 32, of the 2400 block of Creekbend Road in Schaumburg, was charged with two counts of aggravated fleeing or attempting to elude a peace officer, criminal damage to property, unlawful possession of weapons by a felon and three counts of driving under the influence.
The Fox River Grove Police Department attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a black Mercedes coupe just before 11:40 p.m. on September 9, 2020, on Northwest Highway.
Lake County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Chief Christopher Covelli said at the time that the Mercedes refused to stop and came upon the intersection of River Road and Lincoln Avenue in Fox River Grove.
The Mercedes, which was traveling at a high rate of speed and driven by Ford-Gresham, continued northbound where it went off the road and struck an unoccupied parked minivan and a firepit.
The Mercedes then drove through a gazebo and a boat lift before driving into the Fox River, Covelli said.
A kayaker reportedly assisted Ford-Gresham from the water and brought him back to shore where police took him into custody.
Covelli said that the Lake County Sheriff’s Office Technical Crash Investigations Unit was called to assist Fox River Grove police.
He said that fire department boats and divers were deployed to the water to begin searching for anyone else who could have been in the vehicle.
Ford-Gresham later admitted that he was the only one in the Mercedes.
Bruceskis Marine Construction and Recovery, who was called to the scene to remove the car from the water, said that a gun was found in the driver’s seat.
Court records show Ford-Gresham entered into a negotiated plea deal with the McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office.
Ford-Gresham pleaded guilty on Wednesday to aggravated fleeing a peace officer, a Class 3 felony, and unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon, a Class 3 felony.
In exchange, prosecutors dismissed all other charges filed against Ford-Gresham.
McHenry County Judge Michael Coppedge approved the plea deal and sentenced Ford-Gresham to three years and six months in the Illinois Department of Corrections.
Ford-Gresham will be required to serve 50% of the sentence.