Illinois police arrest 2 Honduran nationals after finding fentanyl in fiery crash
GRUNDY COUNTY, Ill. - Two Honduran nationals were arrested last week following a police chase that ended in a fiery crash in Grundy County.
On Oct. 24, around 3:57 p.m., the Grundy County Sheriff’s Pro-Active Unit attempted to pull over a red 2010 Infiniti with suspended California plates near Kankakee Road and IL Route 17. Just a few hours earlier, this same car had managed to evade the Illinois State Police on Interstate 80, according to the sheriff's office.
When the deputies activated their lights to stop the vehicle, it sped off, initiating a short chase, police said. A second deputy quickly deployed a tire deflation device, which successfully punctured one of the tires. But instead of stopping, the suspects took off-road and barreled into a nearby cornfield.
Eventually, a deputy used a PIT maneuver to stop the car. Just as the vehicle came to a halt, it caught fire, which spread to the freshly cut corn stalks around it.
Both suspects jumped out and ran, but they were arrested shortly afterward. When deputies searched the car, they found three kilograms of suspected fentanyl.
The two men arrested were 18-year-old Roybin Barahona and 23-year-old Cristhian Anahel Erazo Velasquez, both from Honduras. They are facing several charges, including controlled substance trafficking, possession of fentanyl and resisting arrest.
Barahona had previously been reported missing from California’s Valley Teen Ranch, while Velasquez had an immigration detainer warrant.
State officials held a Pre-Trial Release Hearing as required by Illinois’ SAFE-T Act. The State's Attorney wanted both suspects detained due to the nature of the charges.
According to Illinois State Sen. Sue Rezin, Velasquez was held because of his outstanding warrant and criminal history, while Barahona was released since there was no prior record available within the required timeframe.
Shortly after, Rezin said California authorities revealed Barahona’s juvenile record, which could have changed the outcome if it had been known sooner.
In light of this incident, Rezin and Grundy County Sheriff Ken Briley are calling for changes to the SAFE-T Act, especially regarding the 48-hour window for pre-trial release hearings. They argue that this timeframe limits law enforcement’s ability to fully evaluate a suspect's background.
"According to the DEA, the amount of fentanyl seized in this arrest is enough to kill 1.5 million people. This terrifying statistic underscores the real dangers that our communities face from this trafficked poison," said Rezin. "The pre-trial release of this suspect highlights the critical gaps that remain in the SAFE-T Act that must be addressed to ensure our local law enforcement and judicial system have all of the tools they need to protect the public."
Rezin said she is also looking into new legislation that would make serious fentanyl-related charges automatically eligible for detention, putting the onus on the defense to prove why they should be released.