Chicago felon caught with stolen gun, fentanyl after high-speed police chase in suburbs: prosecutors

OAK BROOK, Ill. - A DuPage County judge has denied pre-trial release for a Chicago felon accused of leading suburban police on a high-speed chase before being caught with a stolen gun and fentanyl. 

What we know:

Christopher Ellis, 28, is facing multiple felony charges, including armed violence, unlawful possession of a weapon by a convicted felon, aggravated fleeing and eluding, and possession of a controlled substance.

Authorities said the incident began around 1:15 p.m. on Wednesday when Oak Brook police officers spotted a Chevrolet Malibu near Butterfield Road and Route 83 that was flagged as a wanted vehicle. 

Officers followed the car into the Yorktown Mall parking lot in Lombard, where Ellis appeared to be parking. However, when an officer pulled in front of the Malibu and turned on their emergency lights, Ellis allegedly reversed, dodged police spike strips, and sped away.

Ellis reportedly blew through multiple traffic signals and reached speeds of at least 101 mph.

Authorities said he nearly collided with other vehicles near Butterfield Road and Fountain Square Drive before merging onto Roosevelt Road. As he continued speeding through a construction zone, he crossed into oncoming traffic, prompting police to end the ground pursuit for safety reasons.

A Chicago police helicopter then took over tracking the suspect’s vehicle, following it to a residential area in Hillside.

Police said three individuals, including Ellis, exited the Malibu and fled on foot. Ellis was allegedly holding a handgun as he ran through a neighborhood before stashing the firearm and drugs under a flowerpot on North Ashbel Avenue.

Following a brief foot pursuit, Ellis was taken into custody. Officers later recovered a .22-caliber Glock 44 pistol, which had been reported stolen out of Gary, Ind., along with a plastic bag containing 11.4 grams of fentanyl.

Christopher Ellis

What we don't know:

Authorities have not disclosed the identities of the two other people who fled the vehicle or whether they face charges.

It is also unclear what initially led police to flag Ellis’ vehicle as wanted.

What they're saying:

"The allegations that Mr. Ellis fled from officers at more than 100 mph through a busy shopping district and a residential area while armed and in possession of a deadly narcotic are outrageous and will be met with the full force of the law. I commend the Oak Brook Police Department whose efforts have, for the second week in a row, resulted in the removal of an illegally possessed firearm and a significant amount of fentanyl from our streets," said DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin.

What's next:

Ellis remains in custody and is scheduled to appear in court on March 24.