Man accused of fleeing police after stealing alcohol from Lombard Mariano’s: prosecutors

A motion to detain pre-trial a Chicago man accused of fleeing from police after allegedly stealing $837 worth of alcohol from a Lombard Mariano’s grocery store was denied, prosecutors said.

The offender, 43, of the 4800 block of Washington Boulevard, appeared in First Appearance Court Thursday charged with two counts of retail theft and one count each of burglary, fleeing and eluding a police officer and misdemeanor resisting or obstructing a police officer, according to a DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office news release.

He is currently out on pre-trial release for allegedly stealing 26 bottles of liquor from an Elmhurst Jewel-Osco store on March 15. A hearing is scheduled for April 19 to consider the state’s petition to revoke his pre-trial release in that case.

At about 7:40 p.m. April 17, Lombard police responded to a retail theft in progress at the Mariano’s located at 345 W. Roosevelt Road. Upon his arrival, a Lombard police officer located the suspect, already in his vehicle, pulling out of the Mariano’s parking lot, according to the release.

After following the offender for a short amount of time, the officer initiated a traffic stop. Instead of pulling over, the offender allegedly accelerated away from police. Pursuit of the vehicle continued with assistance from the Oak Brook and Villa Park police, authorities said.

During the pursuit, the offender allegedly reached speeds of 65 mph in a 35-mph zone. Near 25th Avenue and Interstate 290, Oak Brook police successfully deployed spike strips stopping his vehicle. The offender refused to exit the vehicle and resisted a Villa Park police officer’s attempt to remove him. When searching the offender and his vehicle, officers found 18 bottles of alcohol in the vehicle and one bottle of alcohol in his pants. He was arrested at this time, according to the release.

“It is alleged that (the offender), who is currently on pre-trial release for stealing alcohol from a DuPage County grocery store, thumbed his nose at the law and again stole alcohol from a DuPage County grocery store,” DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin said in the release. “To further aggravate the matter, it is alleged that (the offender) once again ignored the law and attempted to flee from law enforcement, putting the motoring public at risk. Thankfully, no innocent motorists or pedestrians were injured or killed as a result of (his) alleged actions.”

The offender’s next court appearance is scheduled for April 29 for arraignment.