Man faces DUI charges; struck police car, no parking sign, tree

GENEVA – A 23-year-old Geneva man who was charged with driving under the influence ran through three stop signs, and hit a no parking sign, a tree and the police squad car that was trying to get him to stop, according to police and crash reports.

Ryan M. Finley, of the 200 block of Lillian Court, Geneva, also was charged June 2 with reckless driving, driving without insurance, disobeying a stop sign, driving too fast for conditions, leaving the scene of a property damage accident, possession of drug paraphernalia and driving without headlights when required, police and court records show.

He is scheduled to appear in court June 20 and 21 to respond to the various charges.

Police first noticed Finley, who was driving a 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee, at 1:35 a.m. turning south onto South Third Street from West State Street without the Jeep’s headlights on, the crash report stated.

When the officer turned his squad car around with the intention of pulling Finley over, Finley suddenly accelerated and abruptly turned west on Campbell Street, continuing to travel at a high rate of speed and failing to stop for three stop signs, the crash report stated.

At Campbell and Seventh streets, Finley attempted to turn south on Seventh, but was unable to do so because of his high rate of speed, the report stated.

Instead, the vehicle crossed over Seventh Street, left the roadway, and drove over the curb and onto the parkway, striking a no parking sign and a parkway tree, according to the report. Once the vehicle was over the parkway, the Jeep landed on Campbell Court, a private drive, the report stated.

Finley continued south around a row of town houses, until he was traveling north back toward Campbell Street, while the officer stopped just south of the intersection of Campbell Street and Campbell Court, activating the lights on his squad car, the report stated.

Finley then drove the Jeep into the police car, the report stated.

It is likely that Finley could not stop because the front right passenger tire of the Jeep had blown out when it struck the curb and left the roadway, the report stated.

Court records show Finley received a 12-month suspension of his driver’s license for failing sobriety testing.

According to Illinois Secretary of State records, Finley has a clean driving record.