Three people were transported to the hospital and a suspect was taken into custody after he allegedly attacked two women and led deputies on a pursuit that ended in a multi-vehicle crash in Gurnee.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office responded around 5 p.m. Wednesday to a residence in the 18500 block of West Old Gages Lake Road in unincorporated Grayslake for a domestic battery.
Lake County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Chief Christopher Covelli said the caller, a 43-year-old woman, reported her daughter’s boyfriend, Felix James Jr., 22, of Zion, battered her and her daughter, a 19-year-old pregnant woman.
James left the residence in his Chevrolet HHR, along with his girlfriend, prior to the arrival of sheriff’s deputies.
A 911 call was received from a witness a short time later who saw James repeatedly punching his girlfriend in the car as they traveled on Hunt Club Road in the area of Route 120, Covelli said.
A sheriff’s deputy spotted the Chevrolet HHR and attempted to initiate a traffic stop in the area of Hunt Club Road and Gages Lake Road.
Covelli said James fled from deputies eastbound on Gages Lake Road and refused to pull over.
“Due to the need to rescue James’ victim from additional harm, sheriff’s deputies pursued the Chevrolet HHR,” Covelli said.
James turned from Gages Lake Road onto Route 21 and proceeded northbound on Route 21.
As James approached the intersection at Washington Street, he disregarded the red light and proceeded through the intersection.
James’ Chevrolet HHR was struck by a westbound Chevrolet Silverado, which caused the Chevrolet HHR to strike a Honda Odyssey that was in the intersection.
The Honda then struck a Subaru Outback, Covelli said.
The Gurnee Police Department and Gurnee Fire Department responded to the scene.
The domestic battery victim was rescued by sheriff’s deputies and transported to an area hospital due to the injuries she sustained from being punched and for an evaluation of her unborn child.
Sheriff’s deputies immediately arrested James and he was transported to an area hospital for minor injuries suffered in the crash, Covelli said.
The driver of the Honda, a 51-year-old Park City woman, was transported to an area hospital with minor injuries.
The driver of the Chevrolet Silverado, a 21-year-old Round Lake Beach man, was also transported to an area hospital with minor injuries.
Covelli said the driver of the Subaru, a 66-year-old from Park City, was uninjured.
James was treated, released from the hospital and transported to the Lake County Jail.
The Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office approved the charges of aggravated battery to a pregnant woman, aggravated fleeing and eluding, two counts of domestic battery and several traffic violations.
The Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office is filing a petition to detain James in custody pending trial.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office requested the Lake County Major Crash Assistance Team to investigate due to the crash stemming from a police pursuit.