Driver accused of causing Joliet crash after high-speed police chase

A driver accused of leading Joliet police officers on a high-speed chase before causing a crash that led to a short burst of flames has been jailed in Will County on felony charges.

Mohammad Nakhleh, 31, of Palos Heights has been charged with aggravated fleeing, unlawful possession of hydrocodone, possession of ammunition without a valid firearm owner’s identification card, driving on a revoked license, obstructing a police officer and possession of marijuana in a vehicle.

Nakhleh was taken to jail Tuesday evening after police said he fled from them Sunday and then crashed into a Chevrolet Equinox. The crash led to serious injuries to the young man driving the vehicle and his passenger.

The collision caused a “short burst of flames, and both vehicles were disabled,” according to a petition filed by Will County Assistant State’s Attorney Tricia McKenna seeking to deny Nakhleh’s release from jail.

A judge granted the petition, Will County State’s Attorney spokeswoman Carole Cheney said.

Joliet police Sgt. Dwayne English said he did not know whether the man and his passenger still were in the hospital as of Wednesday.

About 9:50 p.m. Sunday, a Joliet police officer saw a Mercedes-Benz with heavily tinted windows heading west on Caton Farm Road, according to McKenna’s petition.

The vehicle that was driven by Nakhleh apparently matched the description from an earlier aggravated fleeing incident, McKenna said.

The Mercedes-Benz turned onto Pebble Beach Drive without signaling within 100 feet, which led to an attempted traffic stop by the officer, McKenna said. However, the Mercedes-Benz did not stop.

After the Mercedes-Benz disobeyed the stop signs at two intersections, the officer terminated the pursuit, McKenna said.

Shortly afterward, another officer saw the vehicle heading east on Caton Farm Road at Bronk Road before traveling onto West Frontage Road, McKenna said.

“[The] officer was going about 80 mph in a 30 mph zone and could not catch up to [Nakhleh],” McKenna said.

The officer caught up with the Mercedes-Benz and tried to conduct a traffic stop by moving in front of the vehicle.

However, Nakhleh accelerated the speed of his vehicle, and the officer moved out of the way before terminating the pursuit.

Nakhleh sped down West Frontage Road, turned east onto Plainfield Road and then went through the intersection of that road and an Interstate 55 ramp.

He then crashed into the Chevrolet Equinox.

Nakhleh traveled more than 21 mph over the speed limit to elude police. He continued to disobey officers, who then had to pull him from the vehicle.

McKenna said officers searched Nakhleh’s vehicle and found two scales, ammunition, 13 pills that were acetaminophen and hydrocodone, marijuana, a firearm magazine with rounds, three cellphones, $3,510 in cash, $31 in coins, various ammunition and Nakhleh’s U.S. passport.

Nakhleh did not have a valid FOID card, and his request for one had been denied.