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A Wheeling man was charged with armed violence and multiple felonies following a seven-mile pursuit that ended near the Mount Prospect Police Station on March 22.
Edwin C. Laguna, 38, of 330 Highland Ave., was charged March 23 with armed violence, unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon, unlawful possession of a controlled substance, unlawful delivery of a controlled substance, aggravated driving while license revoked, unlawful use of a weapon, unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia, driving while license revoked, unlawful possession of cannabis, and transportation of open alcohol. He was also charged with two counts each of aggravated assault using a deadly weapon and disorderly conduct.
According to police, two victims reported at approximately 4 p.m. March 22 that they had been followed for about seven miles by a blue Jeep SUV driven aggressively.
The victims said they first noticed the Jeep driver, later identified as Laguna, in the 1100 block of Boxwood Drive in Mount Prospect, where he was allegedly making gestures toward them, possibly displaying gang signs. When they drove away, the Jeep began following them.
As the pursuit continued, the victims told police they observed a red laser coming from the Jeep, pointed at them multiple times, and that the driver was holding an unknown object in his hand. The Jeep repeatedly accelerated toward the victims’ vehicle, stopping just before impact multiple times.
The victims drove westbound on Kensington Road to the Mount Prospect Police Station to report the incident. The Jeep stopped following them as they approached the station.
Officers used automated license plate recognition cameras to identify the Jeep and located it in the 500 block of Dogwood Lane with three occupants inside.
During a search of the vehicle, police reportedly discovered a handgun, a red laser attachment for the handgun, a suspected controlled substance, drug paraphernalia, and open and empty alcoholic beverage containers.
All three occupants were taken into custody and transported to the police station.
At a detention hearing for Laguna, he was ordered detained until his next court date, scheduled for Tuesday, March 31 in Rolling Meadows.
The two passengers in the Jeep were each charged with one petty offense of transportation of open alcohol and were released from custody.
Deputy Police Chief Bart Tweedie praised the officers’ response.
“The swift and decisive action taken by our officers during this incident removed a dangerous weapon and a violent offender from our community,” Tweedie said. “We will continue to prioritize the arrest of those who choose to endanger our residents, ensuring violent felons are held accountable for their actions and that our neighborhoods remain safe.”
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