Austin M. Williams, 47, of Gurnee | Photo submitted from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office

A Gurnee man has been arrested and charged with eluding police and driving more than 50 miles per hour over the speed limit.

Austin M. Williams, 47, of the 5100 block of Red Pine Avenue, Gurnee, is facing misdemeanor charges of Resisting a Peace Officer, Obstructing a Peace Officer, Reckless Driving, Aggravated Speeding by going 104 MPH in a 50 MPH Zone, Speeding in a Construction Zone and Fleeing and Eluding, said Lake County Sheriff Deputy Chief Chris Covelli.

A Lake County Sheriff’s Deputy was conducting speed enforcement in the area of Route 41 and Wadsworth Road in Wadsworth at about 10:15 p.m. on September 19 when the deputy observed a Ford pickup truck traveling southbound at a speed of 104 MPH in a 50 MPH zone, Covelli said. 

The deputy conducted a traffic stop and spoke to the driver, who identified himself as Williams.

When the deputy ordered Williams out of the vehicle, Williams took off from the traffic stop at a high rate of speed, Covelli said.

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Covelli said the deputy lost sight of Williams as he fled westbound on Stearns School Road in Gurnee.

Lake County Sheriff’s Telecommunicators alerted area police departments of the incident, Covelli said.

About an hour later, Gurnee Police Officers located the unoccupied pickup truck Williams had been driving in the area of Red Pine Avenue and Alpine Court in Gurnee, Covelli said.

Sheriff’s deputies responded and requested a tow truck for the Ford.

When the tow truck arrived at the scene, a juvenile approached officers on foot and demanded to drive it away from the scene, Covelli said. The juvenile claimed the vehicle was his and was not involved in any previous incident.

Sheriff’s deputies repeatedly told the juvenile to leave and go home, but the juvenile refused, Covelli said, prompting the officers to place the juvenile into custody.

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Shortly after the juvenile was placed in custody, Williams approached the scene on foot, appeared agitated, and demanded the juvenile be released, Covelli said.

As Williams walked toward the scene with his fists clenched, he was told by sheriff’s deputies to stop, Covelli said.

When Williams refused to follow their directions, a sheriff’s deputy grabbed hold of his arm and Williams aggressively pulled his arm away from the deputy and continued moving toward the scene, Covelli said.

Sheriff’s deputies deployed a Taser to subdue Williams and took him into custody, Covelli said.

Williams was transported to the Lake County Jail where he was charged with multiple misdemeanor crimes.

Williams was processed at the jail and released, authorities said. He is due back in court at 9 a.m. on November 6.