ILLINOIS OFFICER INJURED AS HIGH-SPEED CHASE ENSUES

A Decatur man remained jailed Monday after leading police on a high-speed car chase late Sunday that resulted in one officer suffering a broken wrist after he was struck by one of the pursuing squad cars. The officer, identified in written police reports as Sean Bowsher, was hit by a fellow officer's police car traveling at 5 to 10 mph. Police said the squad car had been maneuvering around tire deflation devices deployed to stop the fleeing vehicle when it struck Bowsher, 33. The written report said the impact slid Bowsher "up the hood into the air and (he) landed on the street, breaking his left wrist."

Deputy Chief of Police James Chervinko, said Monday that the injured officer was doing well and was due back at work Tuesday on "light duty status." The 31-year-old suspect, who has five felony convictions including aggravated fleeing and eluding police, felony license revocation and aggravated driving under the influence, was unhurt. Police said he had continued to try to drive his vehicle after all four tires had been deflated and had to be shot with a Taser stun gun before he could be taken into custody.

The man now faces charges of aggravated fleeing and eluding police and aggravated driving under the influence. He is also currently on parole for a previous felony traffic offense, according to police records. "This is the type of individual who has to be stopped by police," Chervinko added.

The car chase had begun at 11:20 p.m. Sunday when an officer on patrol had tried to pull over the suspect's pickup truck in the vicinity of Union and Sawyer streets. The pickup truck took off, hitting speeds up to 60 mph before tire deflation devices, deployed in the 800 block of West Pershing Road, deflated one tire. That slowed the truck down to 30 mph for the rest of the chase before tire deflation devices dropped at the 1700 block of East Grand Street and two other locations flattened the remaining tires and the truck finally came to rest on Dennis Street, just south of Leafland Street.

"And the only reason he stopped was a small grade he couldn't get up," said Chervinko. "The rims were spinning and he couldn't move." Written reports on the accident with the injured officer said he had been trying to retrieve the tire deflation devices called "Stop Sticks" so they would not damage pursuing squad car tires when he was struck. The driver of the pursuing squad car said the officer had "stepped out in front of him" and Bowsher said he thought the driver was going to stop.

Chervinko said senior officers would review what happened, which was standard procedure in any incident that involves a vehicle pursuit, the use of force, or injury to an officer. He said the policy on Stop Stick deployment would also be reviewed. Sunday's arrest for driving under the influence was one of 13 the department made during the weekend as Decatur police continue a crackdown on intoxicated drivers. More than 25 DUI arrests have already been made since the start of the year.