Another Lawsuit For Joliet: Criminal Defendant Makes It No. 3

JOLIET — In recent weeks, Joliet Patch broke the news revealing that a young man and a young woman who were injured one year ago at Plainfield Road and the on ramp for Interstate 55 have sued the city of Joliet and Police Officer Alfonso Sanchez, who is now facing termination. Now, Joliet and Sanchez have a third lawsuit to deal with. It's by the criminal defendant in the case, a man still facing 10 separate charges: 32-year-old Mohammed Nakhleh out of Plainfield.

Nakhleh spent a month in the Will County Jail until being set free on Feb. 8, 2024. He comes from Irvine Lane. Now, he's utilizing a downtown Chicago law firm that goes by the name of THE PERSONAL INJURY LAWYERS, LLC. The law firm's intention is to obtain a monetary judgment for the criminal defendant in excess of $50,000, the court filings show.

"On Jan. 7, 2024 ... defendant Alfonso Sanchez never communicated with Joliet Police Sgt. Bill Otis and or any other Joliet Police Department commanding officer to inform him/her/them that he was pursuing the Mercedes ... Alfonso Sanchez never identified himself as a police officer to the plaintiff or the public," this week's latest lawsuit against Joliet reads.

In 2024, Patch reported that the 26-year-old driver of the other vehicle and his passenger, a 25-year-old Plainfield woman, along with Nakhleh, were taken to Ascension St Joseph Medical Center by the Joliet Fire Department.

Nakhleh has been charged in Will County with aggravated fleeing and eluding a police officer, possession of a controlled substance, possession of marijuana, unlawful possession of ammunition, resisting and obstructing an officer and driving with a revoked license. He was also cited for failure to signaling while turning and two counts of disobeying a stop sign.

His criminal case remains in the pretrial phase at the Will County Courthouse.

The lawsuit argues that Officer Sanchez pursued Nakhleh, who was driving a Mercedes along northbound West Frontage Road "at a high rate of speed without activating his emergency lights and or sirens and without turning on his headlights or tail lights.

"On Jan. 7, 2024, after the defendant, Alfonso Sanchez, impacted the Mercedes with his vehicle on northbound West Frontage Road, the plaintiff, while operating the Mercedes, turned on to eastbound Plainfield Road ... the plaintiff, Mohammed Nakhleh, collided with a 2024 Chevrolet Equinox, which was turning left ... on to the southbound ramp of Interstate 55."

According to the personal injury lawyers, Officer Sanchez "was still in pursuit of the Mercedes at the time of collision between the Mercedes and the Chevrolet Equinox. As a result of the aforementioned collision, Mohammed Nakhleh sustained severe and permanent injuries," noted his lawyer, Erin Kuhfuss of THE PERSONAL INJURY LAWYERS on West Wacker Drive in Chicago.

Joliet Patch previously broke the news that Joliet Police Chief Bill Evans is through with Officer Sanchez. The young officer with about two years experience on the force was notified of his recommended termination in late October. Sanchez has appealed his termination to the city, and his case is awaiting a hearing before the city's five-person police and fire board.

Related Joliet Patch coverage:

Joliet Cop With Revoked License Sued By 2 Hurt In Crash Near Mall