Prosecutors say a wanted man led police on a pursuit where he recklessly fled from officers, including at one point driving around a stopped school bus dropping off children in Zion.
Detectives with the Zion Police Department were searching for Vic H. Solomon, 47, of Zion, around 4 p.m. on October 3.
Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Kailey Hopkins said the detectives were in the area of 17th Street and Ravine Drive.
Solomon was wanted on multiple warrants, including one charging him with possessing a stolen vehicle.
Officers received a tip that Solomon was in the area in an older white Mercury SUV.
Detectives found the car, occupied by three subjects, parked nearby on 20th Street, Hopkins said.
The SUV noticed the officers and the driver accelerated eastbound on 20th Street.
Officers attempted to stop the car at 21st Street and Gabriel Avenue but it refused to stop.
Hopkins said the SUV fled from officers at a high rate of speed and made several turns in an attempt to get away while disregarding stop signs.
One of the detectives positively identified the driver as Solomon.
Solomon drove westbound on 21st Street near Bethesda Boulevard where there was traffic and a school bus, Hopkins said.
The bus had its stop arm out and its flashing lights activated.
The fleeing car did not stop for the bus and drove around it at a high rate of speed, placing the children getting off of the school bus in danger, Hopkins said.
Officers terminated the pursuit due to safety concerns but located the suspect vehicle at 22nd Street and Bethesda Boulevard.
Hopkins said the car had smoke coming from it and officers arrested two people. One of the subjects told officers that Solomon was driving and fled to a nearby building.
She also said that the three of them had been parked earlier when Solomon saw the police car and told her and the other passenger to hide before Solomon took off recklessly, Hopkins said.
Solomon was charged with two counts of aggravated fleeing to elude a peace officer, a Class 4 felony.
An arrest warrant was issued and he was taken into custody a month and a half later on November 15.
A public defender for Solomon said his client denies being involved in the pursuit and said that a lot of different people drive the vehicle involved.
Hopkins argued in court that Solomon endangered the children getting off of the bus while he was wanted in four separate cases.
Lake County Judge Ari Fisz granted a petition to revoke Solomon’s pre-trial release and remanded him to the Lake County Jail.
The judge said a public safety assessment graded Solomon at the highest risk for failing to appear in court and the highest risk possible to commit a new offense if released from custody.
In February 2023, Solomon was allegedly speeding and driving recklessly when he caused a crash that left another man critically injured at Route 173 and Route 41 in Wadsworth. He was charged with numerous felonies and that case remains active.
Solomon, who currently has six pending criminal cases against him, is set to appear in court again on December 12.