The driver facing multiple felony charges for leading officers on a high-speed chase Monday is back in custody after being apprehended without incident, outside a relative’s home in Quincy IL.

According to a news release from the Kane County Sheriff’s Office, Billy Cole Jr. was arrested at around 10:40 a.m. today (Thursday, March 30, 2017) through a joint effort of law enforcement officials from the U.S. Marshals Service Central District of Illinois, the U.S. Marshals Northern District of Illinois, the Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force and the Adams County Sheriff’s Office.

The Kane County Sheriff’s Office had been searching for the 38-year-old Aurora man who eluded custody when he fled Rush-Copley Hospital shortly before 2:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Cole has been identified as the driver of a black Ford Fusion that crashed at around 3:37 p.m. Monday, causing minor injuries to himself and potential life-threatening injuries to his front-seat passenger, 27-year-old Brian Ingram of Aurora.

The charges against Cole are:

• Aggravated fleeing and attempting to elude a Police Officer (Class 3 felony).
• Aggravated reckless driving causing great bodily harm, disability or disfigurement (Class 4 felony).
• Leaving the scene of a personal injury accident class (Class 4 felony).
• Driving on a revoked license where two or more persons were injured  (Class 4 felony).
• Driving on a revoked license while license is revoked for DUI (Class 4 felony).
• Resisting or obstructing a peace officer (Class A misdemeanor).
• Disobeying a stop sign  (traffic offense).

The Sheriff’s Office said Cole also had an outstanding unserved order of protection out of Sangamon County.

High-Speed Chase

Initial reports said a Kane County sheriff’s deputy observed a black Ford Fusion traveling north on Lafayette Street in Aurora at a high rate of speed sometime around 3:35 p.m. Monday. The deputy activated his emergency lights and sirens in an attempt to stop the vehicle, but the Cole ignored the lights and siren and kept driving.

The Fusion eventually turned south on Route 25, then struck a traffic-signal pole on the southeast corner of Route 25 and Ashland Avenue. Cole left the car and fled on foot into a cemetery at the intersection of Ashland Avenue and Route 25.

According to reports, the deputy gave Cole several commands to stop running, and when Cole refused to stop, the deputy released his K9. Cole was able to climb a fence and avoid the dog, but the deputy ordered his dog to stop, walked through an opening in the fence and ordered Cole to the ground.

Cole was transported to Rush-Copley Hospital and remained there overnight before fleeing Tuesday.

The Sheriff’s Office preliminary investigation shows that the Ford Fusion driven by Cole was owned by Ingram’s ex-girlfriend. The ex-girlfriend had reported to the Aurora Police Department that the vehicle taken without her consent on Sunday, March 26.

SOURCE: Kane County Sheriff’s Office