CHICAGO RIDGE, IL — A Chicago Ridge police officer was seriously injured when he approached an Oak Lawn teen known for previous attempts to elude police in past traffic stops, according to a Chicago Ridge police news release. The officer was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center where he was treated for a non-life threatening injury.
Click Here: maori all blacks shop
Around 11 p.m. Tuesday, Chicago Ridge police officers spotted a red Infiniti Q50 at the BP gas station at 95th Street and Nashville Avenue. The officer said he recognized the car from recent traffic stops in the area where the driver allegedly fled from police.
Officers approached the driver, later identified as 18-year-old Sami Hirmiz, of Oak Lawn, who police said was standing next to the open driver’s side door. As an officer was checking Hirmiz’s driving record through the Illinois State Police database, assisting officers told Hirmiz the reason he was stopped was because he was suspected of fleeing officers in recent traffic stops.
Find out what's happening in Oak Lawnwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
When police asked Hirmiz if he had any weapons or drugs in the car, Hirmiz stated that his girlfriend was in the car. Hirmiz moved toward the open driver’s side door, police said, and began struggling with officers who were trying to detain him. Hirmiz was able to get the car started and began to accelerate toward the officer who was exiting his police vehicle, police said. The officer was standing directly in the path of Hirmiz’s car.
As Hirmiz attempted to flee the parking lot, police said the open driver’s side door hit the officer in the knee, who had to jump to the side to avoid being struck head on. Hirmiz was pursued by Illinois State Police, including a state police helicopter. Police said the Infiniti was clocked driving at an excessively high rate of speed. Hirmiz managed to outrun the state police and helicopter, eventually crossing over the Indiana state line, according to police.
Find out what's happening in Oak Lawnwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Indiana State Police picked up the chase, but Hirmiz was able to outrun them and a second helicopter as well, Chicago Ridge police said.
Hirmiz turned himself in at the Chicago Ridge police station the next day. The Oak Lawn teen appeared Friday before Cook County Judge Linzie Jones on charges of aggravated battery to a police officer and aggravated fleeing and eluding, both felony charges. Hirmiz is due back in court June 28 in Bridgeview.
“We are very fortunate that our office was not killed during this incident. Another few inches and the officer would be dead,” said Chief Jim Jarolimek, of the Chicago Ridge Police Department. “Hirmiz being released on an I-bond is very upsetting to our entire police department. Words cannot express how irate I am. This is a slap in the face to our entire department.”
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.