Man fled traffic stop, injured 2 McHenry County sheriff’s deputies, had stolen gun, authorities allege

A man injured two McHenry County sheriff’s deputies Friday night when he drove off during a traffic stop in Crystal Lake, and he was in possession of a stolen, loaded firearm, authorities allege.

Quinelle Franklin, 33, who has addresses listed in public records both in Crystal Lake and Elgin, is charged with being an armed habitual felon, which is a Class X felony, according to the criminal complaint filed in McHenry County court.

Franklin also is charged with aggravated unlawful use of a weapon with a previous felony conviction, possession of a stolen firearm, aggravated battery, aggravated fleeing and eluding a police officer causing injury, possessing ammunition without a valid firearm owner’s identification card, driving on a revoked license, reckless driving, operating an uninsured motor vehicle, prohibited lighting on vehicle, speeding 1 to 10 mph over the limit and failure to use a seat belt.

If convicted of the most serious charge, the Class X felony, Franklin could be sentenced to up to 30 years in prison.

Franklin, who is on six months misdemeanor supervision for leaving the scene of an accident in January, appeared before Judge Carl Metz on Saturday morning for an initial court appearance. Metz noted what he called Franklin’s “significant criminal history,” including a conviction for aggravated fleeing and eluding in 2023 in Kane County, and ordered him detained in the county jail pretrial.

In the Kane County case, Franklin fled police at high speeds, crashing his silver Ford Escape into parked cars before fleeing on foot. He eventually was found in a locked bathroom at a Shell gas station on West Main Street in St. Charles. The search involved K-9s and a drone team and led to nearby schools being placed on lockout, according to a story in Shaw Media reported at the time of his arrest.

Franklin also has had convictions in Kane County for aggravated battery in 2010 and for possessing a firearm as a felon in 2018, according to the McHenry County complaint.

McHenry County authorities said Franklin was driving an uninsured vehicle about 7:30 p.m. Friday with illegal red lighting on his rear bumper and was not wearing a seat belt. He drove 7 mph over the 55 mph limit on Route 31 and crossed over the center median on Cog Circle twice. At the time, his license also was revoked, authorities said.

As McHenry County sheriff’s deputies tried to make a traffic stop, Franklin allegedly fled, injuring one deputy’s hand and pinching his finger and “brushing” another deputy with his vehicle, according to the complaint.

Deputies also found that Franklin had in his possession a Smith and Wesson .40-caliber gun reported stolen in Crystal Lake on Aug. 27, as well as seven .40-caliber rounds of ammunition, according to the complaint.