A Cicero man accused of fleeing from police and leading them on a high-speed chase following a dramatic road rage incident in Naperville was denied pre-trial release on Saturday, according to a news release from the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office.
The suspect, 31-year-old Jose Gutierrez, is charged with two felony counts of aggravated fleeing and eluding a police officer, one felony count of aggravated unlawful possession of a weapon and multiple misdemeanor offenses including aggravated assault, resisting a police officer, reckless driving and transportation of open alcohol by a driver.
Naperville police responded to a call Friday evening of a road rage incident near Naper Boulevard and Plank Road where an individual, later identified as Gutierrez, allegedly pointed a handgun at another driver, the news release said.
Around 8:50 p.m., a Naperville police officer located Gutierrez and conducted a traffic stop.
“It is alleged that Gutierrez initially came to a stop and placed his hands outside the driver’s side window in response to the officer’s commands but rather than remaining stopped, he fled the scene,” the news release said.
Officers followed Gutierrez and deployed a stop-stick, a tool police use to stop a vehicle by deflating its tires, while Gutierrez was stopped at a red light on Naper Boulevard. Gutierrez allegedly fled over the stop-stick and turned northbound on Naper Boulevard.
A high-speed chase ensued as police continued to chase Gutierrez onto eastbound I-88, to I-355, to Finley Road, to Roosevelt Road, where he ran over a second stop-stick, per the news release. Gutierrez allegedly kept fleeing, driving on his rims, as he continued eastbound on Roosevelt Road where he swerved into the westbound lanes and drove at speeds above 90 mph before coming to a stop in the far left, eastbound lane of Roosevelt Road.
Gutierrez then fled the vehicle on foot, the release said, running into the westbound lane before being apprehended following a foot chase.
Officers canvassed the scene of the initial stop and recovered a loaded .22 caliber handgun with one round in the chamber allegedly thrown out of the vehicle by Gutierrez. Officers also located .22 caliber ammunition following a search of the vehicle, the news release said.
“When someone points a gun at another driver, flees from police, and puts countless people in harm’s way, they can expect a swift and coordinated law enforcement response. Our officers, with the assistance of neighboring agencies, moved quickly to apprehend the suspects and recover the weapon before anyone was hurt,” Naperville Chief of Police Jason Arres said.
Gutierrez was due back in court on Monday. The Naperville Sun reached out to the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office for an update on Gutierrez’s Monday court appearance.
