Shorewood Cops Catch Grundy Fugitive

The apprehended a man clad only in a hospital gown who had escaped from the Grundy County police, according to a law enforcement official.

The man was being treated at Morris Hospital Friday morning when he slipped away and either stole or carjacked a vehicle, said Shorewood Police Chief Aaron Klima.

The fugitive made it all the way from Morris to with the local police joining the chase on Route 52.

The fleeing driver wound his way all around town and drove through at least one backyard, Klima said.

Shorewood Patch columnist Erin Gallagher obtained eyewitness accounts of the police pursuit, including one from a man who said he was nearly run over.

A motorist who spoke to Gallagher said four or five police cars chased a blue-gray, older sport utility vehicle onto Route 52 from a side street east of Shorewood Village Hall.

The caravan continued east toward Joliet at a high rate of speed, the motorist told Gallagher.

"They were flying," the man told Gallagher.

The chase then headed southwest again. Along the way, the SUV blew out a tire and another tire "disintegrated" on the wheel, with the truck finally stopping on the westbound Interstate 80 overpass in Minooka about 11:45a.m., Klima said.

The Shorewood police made the arrest but Klima directed inquiries about the man in custody to the Grundy County Sheriff's Department, as he was that agency's prisoner prior to the escape.

Grundy County Sheriff Terry Marketti said he was occupied but would be available later in the day.

Klima said he was unsure but believes the man was in custody on a charge of retail theft.

Friday's incident was the second such hair-raising chase in Shorewood in as many days.

On Thursday, a motorist fled when a police officer attempted to pull him over for a seat belt violation near the junction of Route 52 and Interstate 55, Klima said.

The driver sped south on I-55. The pursuing Shorewood officer gave up the chase at Interstate 80 due to safety concerns.

The driver apparently exited I-55 at Route 6. Klima said two handguns ditched by the driver were recovered near the exit.

Thursday's fugitive remains at large.