Prosecutors say a man led police on two separate vehicle chases in Lake County, including one that began in Lake Forest and ended in Waukegan with him allegedly crashing into another car.
Cavalier T. Howard, 31, of Chicago, was charged with aggravated fleeing to elude police, a Class 4 felony, and driving on a revoked license, a Class A misdemeanor.
Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Colleen McConnell said a North Chicago police officer was on routine patrol on May 2 when he observed a red Chevrolet Malibu that he recognized from previous incidents where it fled from officers.
The officer also knew that Howard, who is the registered owner of the vehicle, had a suspended driver’s license and the registration on the vehicle was suspended.
The officer ran the information, which confirmed his prior knowledge.
The driver began taking evasive maneuvers to get away from the officer by making multiple turns and stopping before exiting a parking lot, McConnell said.
The officer attempted to conduct a traffic stop on the vehicle by activating his lights on the squad car.
McConnell said the vehicle fled from officers and disregarded the stop signs at Prairie View Court and Lewis Avenue, as well as Lewis Avenue and 16th Street.
The officer briefly pursued the vehicle but ultimately terminated the pursuit for community safety as the car was traveling 50-60 mph on Lewis Avenue in a 30 mph zone.
Officers spoke with a security guard at the Prairie View Apartments, where the car had entered and exited, and retrieved surveillance footage.
The security guard positively identified Howard as the driver and sole occupant of the vehicle when he had driven into Prairie View, McConnell said.
The North Chicago Police Department was alerted on May 12 that Howard had been located in Waukegan.
McConnell said Howard’s vehicle had been involved in a police pursuit that started in Lake Forest and then passed through North Chicago and ended in Waukegan.
There was a crash where the Chevrolet hit another vehicle during the pursuit.
Howard had been located just outside the vehicle by police in Waukegan, McConnell said. He admitted to previously driving the Chevrolet despite his license being suspended.
Howard was cited and released for driving while license suspended in November and the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office filed a petition to revoke his pre-trial release in that case following his latest arrest.
“This Defendant is repeatedly fleeing from police and continuing to drive while his licenses and his vehicle’s registration are both suspended and if his release is not revoked he will keep driving and he will keep fleeing from police and someone is going to get hurt,” McConnell said while arguing for Howard to be held in custody.
Lake County Judge Michael Nerheim granted the petition and remanded Howard to the Lake County Jail following a hearing last month.
Court records show the state’s attorney’s office has already offered Howard a plea deal, allowing him to plead guilty to the fleeing to elude charge and dismissing all of his other charges, including the November case.
Howard was sentenced to 24 months of probation and 25 hours of public service as part of the plea deal and he was released from the jail upon the plea being accepted. He was also ordered not to consume alcohol or drugs, not drive, not possess weapons and be subject to random drug screenings.