An Aurora man was arrested on a slew of charges Thursday after smashing into a Naperville squad car and taking police on a high-speed interstate chase at speeds exceeding 120 mph, officials said.
Naperville police say the incident started about 12:50 a.m. when they spotted a man illegally parked in a handicapped space at the Extended Stay America hotel off Diehl Road, a news release from the Naperville Police Department and DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office said.
The man, later identified as 31-year-old Mitchell Simmons of the 400 block of Watson Street, was observed by the officers as having his eyes closed and his pants around his ankles when they approached his car, the report said. Instead of handing over his driver’s license and insurance card and getting out of the vehicle as requested, Simmons allegedly put his vehicle into reverse and slammed into a squad car, narrowly missing one off the officers, officials said.
Simmons fled onto Diehl Road pursued by what would end up being six police vehicles as he drove to Route 59 and then on to Interstate 88, where speeds reached 123 mph, the release said. When he exited on to Interstate 290, he was allegedly driving as fast as 100 mph through a construction zone, officials said.
Hinsdale police officers laid spike strips on I-290, which disabled one of Simmons’ tires, and Oak Brook officers were able to do the same, disabling a second tire, the report said. Simmons eventually exited at 25th Street, turned on to a dead-end road, crashed into a chain link fence and fled on foot before being taken into custody, officials said.
Simmons has been charged with one count each of felony aggravated fleeing and eluding a police officer and aggravated assault on an officer as well as multiple misdemeanor and traffic offenses, including reckless driving, driving while license suspended and unauthorized use of handicapped parking, the release said.
DuPage County Judge Leah Bendik approved a prosecutor’s request that Simmons be held in the county jail pending trial.
“The allegation that Mr. Simmons crashed his vehicle into a squad car, nearly striking an officer, and then led police on a high-speed chase in excess of 100 mph, at one point through a construction zone, are outrageous,” State’s Attorney Robert Berlin said in a statement.
“Mr. Simmons’ alleged actions demonstrate a complete disregard for public safety and the rule of law, which will not be tolerated in DuPage County. Thankfully, no innocent motorists were injured or worse as a result of Mr. Simmons’ alleged actions.”
Naperville Police Chief Jason Arres concurred with that assessment.
“The arrest of this suspect who fled from our officers at a high rate of speed underscores the extreme danger posed by such reckless behavior,” he said in the release.
Simmons’ next court appearance is scheduled for Aug. 19.
