A suspect has been extradited back to Illinois and denied pre-trial release after he allegedly dragged a police officer with his vehicle while trying to flee in Waukegan, leaving the officer with great bodily harm.
Patrol officers with the Waukegan Police Department were working a crime suppression detail when they conducted a traffic stop around 11:38 p.m. on July 17.
The officers stopped a silver 2005 Infiniti and it pulled into the parking lot of McDonald’s, 3301 Grand Avenue.
The driver, identified as Darius Mingo, 37, of Waukegan, provided an identification card to officers instead of his driver’s license, according to Waukegan Deputy Police Chief Scott Chastain.
Officers smelled an odor of raw cannabis coming from the vehicle.
Chastain said Mingo admitted to smoking cannabis in the vehicle that day and officers suspected that more cannabis was in the vehicle.
Officers asked Mingo to exit the vehicle and he complied.
Officers were speaking to Mingo and he became very nervous before trying to re-enter his vehicle, Chastain said.
Officers tried to prevent him but he allegedly pushed past officers and got into the vehicle.
He began reaching for an item by the center console and seat area, Chastain said.
Officers tried to stop him but he put the vehicle into drive and accelerated at a high rate of speed.
Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Emily Shanley-Roberts said one of the officers was still in the car actively fighting with Mingo to try and prevent him from reaching for a potential gun.
Chastain said one of the officers was dragged approximately 10 feet before being propelled to the ground and hitting his head on the pavement.
Mingo fled the parking lot of the McDonald’s at a high rate of speed, Chastain said.
Officers alerted dispatch and sent out an alert to other police departments to be on the lookout for the Infiniti sedan.
The Waukegan Fire Department responded to the scene and transported the officer to an area hospital.
Chastain said the officer suffered scrapes, bruising and abrasions. The officer also had some equipment damaged on his police belt.
Shanley-Roberts said the officer had visible road rash all over his arm, swelling on his face and severe pain in his back, leg and head.
He was unable to walk at the time he was transported to the hospital by ambulance.
He was treated and released pending a follow-up with a doctor.
The Infiniti was located a short time later by Waukegan police detectives near 17th Street and Sheridan Road in North Chicago.
They attempted to stop the vehicle but it fled from detectives, Chastain said. A statewide broadcast was issued for the vehicle.
A warrant was issued for Mingo on charges of aggravated battery to a peace officer causing great bodily harm, aggravated battery to a peace officer, obstructing justice, aggravated fleeing to elude causing injury and resisting a peace officer causing injury. The charges range from Class 1-4 felonies.
Mingo was taken into custody last month in Ross County, Ohio after their sheriff’s office conducted a traffic stop on him, Chastain said.
Mingo was arrested on additional charges in Ross County, including obstructing official business and drug paraphernalia.
He was held in the Ross County Jail and extradited back to Illinois earlier this month to face the Lake County charges.
Shanley-Roberts said Mingo is on indefinite probation out of Virginia for a 2018 felony conviction.
The Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office filed a petition to detain Mingo pending trial.
“The defendant’s action in this case show he is a danger to the community. His criminal history shows that he’s a danger to the community and it shows he’s not likely to abide by court orders,” Shanley-Roberts said.
Lake County Judge D. Christopher Lombardo granted the petition and ordered Mingo held in the Lake County Jail following a detention hearing.
The judge called Mingo’s behavior dangerous and said it left the officer severely injured.
Mingo is scheduled to appear in court again on August 27 for a preliminary hearing.