A Crystal Lake man allegedly fled at a high rate of speed from police officers and drove into oncoming traffic, endangering the safety of numerous traveling motorists, in Lake in the Hills.
Aidan J. Defily, 18, of Crystal Lake, was charged with two counts of aggravated fleeing to elude, reckless driving, unlawful possession of cannabis by a driver, tinted windows, driving the wrong way on a divided highway, obstructing driver’s view and improper turn signal.
A criminal complaint filed in McHenry County Circuit Court alleges Defily fled from a marked police squad around 6 p.m. on March 9 in Lake in the Hills.
Defily drove his vehicle over 62 mph in a posted 40 mph zone while attempting to flee and elude officers, the complaint said.
Defily drove his vehicle with a “willful and wanton disregard” for the safety of others when he drove eastbound in the westbound lane into oncoming traffic where at least five other vehicles were traveling, the complaint said.
The complaint said Defily’s vehicle, a 2011 Chevrolet Camaro, had a fully tinted windshield, fully tinted taillight covers and both of his front and rear license plates were removed.
Court documents said Defily prompted the response of at least three different agencies to respond.
Court records show Defily was on pre-trial release for unlawful possession of a firearm and possession of a stolen vehicle in two separate incidents in Crystal Lake that happened days apart in January.
Defily was on electronic home monitoring with a daily curfew from 6 p.m. to 5 a.m. at the time he allegedly committed the new offense.
The McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office filed a petition to detain Defily pending trial in the new case and petitions to revoke his pre-trial release in his other cases.
McHenry County Judge Cynthia Lamb granted the petitions and said that Defily poses a real and present threat and put the lives of at least five other drivers at risk.
Lamb said the man has shown a “total disregard for the safety of others” and no conditions of release could mitigate the threat.
Court documents also said that Defily had violated his curfew in the prior case at least six times in four weeks.
He remains held in the McHenry County Jail and is scheduled to appear in court again on April 2.