Richard Acosta, 18, of North Chicago.

An 18-year-old man allegedly led police officers on a chase, nearly hitting another vehicle, before resisting arrest and being caught with a loaded gun and drugs in North Chicago.

Richard Acosta, 18, of North Chicago, was charged with aggravated fleeing to elude enhanced, five counts of aggravated unlawful possession of a weapon, resisting a peace officer, possession of cannabis and window tint violation.

Officers with the North Chicago Police Department on December 30 observed a Dodge Charger, driven by Acosta, with heavily tinted windows, according to Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Nicholas Shepherd.

Officers attempted a traffic stop and the Dodge accelerated away from police.

The vehicle sped through a stop sign at Cummings and Jackson and then disregarded a red light at Belvidere Road and Jackson Street in Waukegan.

The Dodge nearly struck another vehicle when it went through the red light, Shepherd said.

Officers called off the pursuit due to safety concerns and learned the registered address of the Dodge.

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The home was a few blocks away and officers relocated to the address of the vehicle.

Shepherd said the same light blue Dodge Charger with heavy tint from the pursuit pulled into the driveway of the home just minutes later as officers surveilled the residence.

Officers conducted a traffic stop on the Dodge and blocked the vehicle in.

Acosta was the driver and sole occupant of the vehicle, Shepherd said. He immediately began honking his horn and screaming.

Acosta refused to exit the Dodge for a substantial amount of time while honking and yelling trying to get the attention of his parents inside.

Shepherd said officers attempted to force entry into the car by striking the vehicle’s window with a baton but the window did not crack.

Acosta opened the door after the baton strike while continuing to refuse to exit the vehicle and screaming for his parents, Shepherd said.

Shepherd said Acosta was removed from the vehicle and continued to fight with the police by pulling away and pushing on officers.

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The man’s parents heard the commotion and came outside. They talked with officers and were upset with Acosta.

Officers found a Glock 26 handgun in the car while preparing to tow the vehicle.

Acosta is under the age of 21 and does not have a Firearm Owner’s Identification card (FOID) or concealed carry license, Shepherd said.

Acosta’s parents became even more upset with him when the handgun was found.

Acosta’s mother told him that he had promised he would not do this again to her, at which point Acosta responded by saying, “Mom, they are f—ing stupid it wasn’t even loaded, there wasn’t even one in the chamber,” according to Shepherd.

Officers checked the Glock and found it was loaded with an inserted magazine but did not have a round in the chamber.

Officers learned one of Acosta’s friends had recently been shot and killed. Shepherd said Acosta “knows exactly the gravity of being armed with a firearm and using one.”

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At the time of his arrest, Acosta was awaiting sentencing after pleading guilty to aggravated unlawful use of a weapon in a juvenile case. That case was set for sentencing on January 29.

Officers also located 10 THC vape pens each containing 2000 milligrams of a substance containing THC.

“This Defendant is clearly a threat to the community based upon not only his illegal possession of a loaded firearm, but also the manner in which he evaded police, nearly striking another car, because he had a loaded firearm on him and he has a sentencing date on his first firearm felony coming up in less than a month,” Shepherd said.

Lake County Judge James Newman granted a petition to detain Acosta pending trial following a detention hearing.

Acosta is scheduled to appear in court again on Wednesday for a preliminary hearing.