Suicidal Reckless Driver With Knives Crashes Into Tree: Channahon PD

CHANNAHON — The Channahon Police Department said a woman using drugs and facing a mental health crisis suffered minor injuries after driving recklessly after 1 a.m. and crashing into police stop sticks on Sunset Drive between Sioux Drive and Roberts Avenue.

The woman is 34 and from Wilmington, police said.

According to Thursday's news release from Deputy Chief Matt Brooks, Channahon police assisted Wilmington police in trying to find a suicidal person experiencing a mental health crisis. Not only was the woman using drugs, but she also had several knives, police said.

Wilmington police tried to pull the woman over, but she refused to stop and at 1:22 a.m., Channahon police saw her vehicle near Bluff Road and Interstate 55. Eventually, the police saw the fleeing motorist near Sioux Drive, and she turned south and accelerated at the Channahon police officers, according to authorities.

Brooks said police deployed stop sticks, deflating the car's tires, and the vehicle crashed into a tree in the median of Sunset Drive near Galloway School, igniting a small fire. Police later realized the woman had already abandoned the moving vehicle prior to hitting the stop sticks.

A reverse 911 call alerted Channahon residents during the middle of the night to shelter in place while the officers searched for her.

Channahon police said they used drones to find the missing woman. She was captured at 2:25 a.m., treated for minor injuries and taken to a hospital for further evaluations. No officers were injured during the incident and criminal charges are now pending, Brooks announced.

"At this time, there is no threat to the area," Channahon police declared.