Two suspects were arrested after they allegedly carjacked a Subaru in Zion, fled from multiple police agencies in Lake County, and later led them on a pursuit that started in Lake Forest and ended in Waukegan early Sunday morning.
The Zion Police Department issued an alert over the Illinois State Police Radio Network (ISPERN) just before midnight after a victim was carjacked of their Subaru Forester SUV at Lewis Avenue and 23rd Street in Zion at around 11:30 p.m. Saturday.
The carjackers were described as two teenagers with masks and they fled the scene in the stolen Subaru, the alert said.
At around 12:50 a.m., the Subaru reportedly fled from Lincolnshire police officers and was last seen eastbound on Route 22 from Oxford Drive in Lincolnshire. Lincolnshire Police notified surrounding police agencies.
At around 2:30 a.m., Highland Park police officers reportedly spotted the Subaru, and it was last seen traveling westbound on Route 22 from Route 41 in Highland Park.
Moments later, Vernon Hills police officers saw it traveling northbound on Route 21 from Route 22 and reportedly attempted to pull it over, according to police radio traffic.
Vernon Hills officers reportedly terminated the pursuit, and the Subaru continued fleeing eastbound on Route 60 from St Marys Road in Mettawa at a high rate of speed.
At around 2:40 a.m., Lake Forest police officers spotted the Subaru near Route 41 and Old Elm Road and gave chase, according to police radio traffic.
Lake Forest officers chased it northbound on Green Bay Road through Lake Forest and Lake Bluff.
The Subaru then turned eastbound onto Buckley Road from Green Bay Road and then northbound on Sheridan Road through North Chicago and into Waukegan, according to police radio traffic.
The vehicle pursuit ended at 8th Street and Martin Luther King Jr Drive in Waukegan at around 2:50 a.m.
Both of the occupants reportedly fled on foot from the vehicle.
Many officers from nearby police agencies, including a Lake County sheriff’s K-9 unit, rushed to assist.
One of the suspects was quickly taken into custody on Browning Avenue east of Genesee Street.
The second suspect remained at large and reportedly fled on foot northbound towards May Street.
Officers established a perimeter and began searching the area for the second suspect.
Lake County Sheriff’s K-9 Lux and his handler, Deputy John Forlenza, tracked the suspect for approximately a half-mile before finding him hiding in a garbage can near Genesee Street and May Street, Lake County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Chief Christopher Covelli said.
“The suspect refused to surrender, even after several canine warning announcements were made, and was taken into custody without incident,” Covelli said.
“K9 Lux did bite the offender in the arm during the apprehension, due to the offender’s non-compliance during the apprehension,” Covelli added.
The second suspect that was hiding in the garbage can told a Lake & McHenry County Scanner reporter at the scene, while cuffed in the back seat of a squad car, that he had nothing to do with the stolen Subaru.
When asked if he was the suspect driving the Subaru, he told the reporter, “hell naw, I wasn’t driving no Subaru. I don’t even know how to drive.”
He said he was 17 years old, moved to Zion two months ago and is currently on parole.
He also claimed to the reporter that he didn’t run from the police and happened to be in the garbage can because it was cold outside.
“I didn’t run from s–t!” he said. “I’ve been sitting in the trash can for like a while now.”
He told the reporter he was bleeding from his leg.
The Waukegan Fire Department responded and transported both suspects to the hospital.
The second suspect that was hiding in the garbage can was later released from the hospital and transferred into the custody of the Zion Police Department, who is investigating the carjacking, Covelli said.
It is unclear if or when the first suspect was released from the hospital.
Lake & McHenry County Scanner has reached out to the Zion Police Department for additional information.