Man who fled Harvard police in stolen Kia pleads guilty, gets 3 1/2 years in prison

A Rockford man arrested after allegedly fleeing Harvard police in a stolen 2018 Kia Sportage – at times driving more than 100 mph - has pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 3 ½ years in prison.

Kwamann D. Gholson, 21, of the 1300 block of North Church Street, pleaded guilty to being in possession of a stolen motor vehicle, a Class 2 felony, according to a judgment order filed in the McHenry County court.

In exchange for his guilty plea Tuesday, additional counts were dismissed including three counts of aggravated fleeing, reckless driving, speeding and driving on a suspended license, court records show.

During the time police say he committed this offense, Gholson was on probation for a 2021 conviction of aggravated fleeing and eluding, a judge’s order detaining him pretrial in the county jail, according to court records.

Gholson is required to serve half of his prison term. When released he will serve one year of mandatory supervised release. He will receive credit for 434 days held in the county jail, the judgment order signed by Judge Tiffany Davis said.

About 2 a.m. Jan. 23, 2023, police were called to the area of Timber Drive after a citizen reported that a vehicle was “slowly driving around the neighborhood” without its headlights on. When officers arrived, “they observed a Kia Sportage [that] immediately accelerated away from the police, driving through the yard of a residence,” according to a news release from the McHenry County State’s Attorney’s office.

During the pursuit, which lead into Boone County, the vehicle drove off the side of the road and Gholson escaped the vehicle on foot, according to the release.

“Harvard Police later learned that the Kia was reported stolen out of Arizona. Officers searched the Kia and found items belonging to Gholson,” according to the release.

In a judge’s order to detain Gholson, a judge said he drove “recklessly and at very high speeds while trying to evade law enforcement. He drove across the roadway, disregarded stop signs, and across sidewalks, ditches, and even a spike strip.”

The pursuit, where Gholson is accused of driving at times between 110 and 120 mph, was caught on a squad car dash cam, the judge said.

Attempts to reach Gholson’s attorney Thursday were unsuccessful.