Multiple felony charges were filed against a 25-year-old Maywood man who was involved in an accident on the Eisenhower Expressway early Sunday morning, and then reportedly attempted to hijack the other party’s vehicle at gunpoint before being chased down on foot and fired upon by police.
The incident closed the I-290 expressway for about four hours while police completed their investigation.
Kenneth Spruiell and another driver were involved in a two-vehicle accident just east of the First Avenue exit on the westbound Eisenhower around 1 a.m., police said. When Cook County Sheriff’s officers stopped to check for injuries, they reportedly were told Spruiell was armed with a gun and had attempted to hijack the other party’s BMW.
Spruiell fled on foot and police chased him on the highway, as local officers closed down the expressway both directions between Harlem and First avenues.
A sheriff’s officer fired his gun at Spruiell, but did not strike the fleeing man. Spruiell was taken into custody and treated for injuries sustained in the crash at Loyola University Medical Center.
The highway reopened around 5 a.m. on Sunday.
Sheriff’s police recovered a handgun and determined the Spruiell was driving under the influence, according to a statement from Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart.
Spruiell was charged with aggravated vehicular hijacking, aggravated DUI and two counts of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon. Police discovered he had two traffic warrants and one warrant for possession of a stolen motor vehicle.
Spruiell appeared in bond court Tuesday morning at the Maywood courthouse.
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