Early Friday morning, chaos unfolded on Chicago’s streets and a major thoroughfare, leaving police officers injured, suspects in custody, and an interstate blocked by spilled produce. In a dramatic sequence of events, a man accused of hitting a police officer with a car in an escape attempt is now facing an attempted murder charge, WGN-TV reports. Barry Hayes, a 32-year-old from West Garfield Park, allegedly sped an SUV towards an officer during a burglary investigation in the Englewood neighborhood.
As per Chicago police, the officer, who was struck by the vehicle, retaliated by opening fire on Hayes, but, no one was injured by gunfire. The officer, however, was hospitalized in good condition while two more were sent for observation after Hayes reportedly crashed into a squad car. Meanwhile, outside of Chicago, a semi truck accident caused an entirely different sort of disruption, when it rolled over on I-80 near Morris, Illinois, spilling 42,000 pounds of produce across eastbound traffic lanes, CBS Chicago reports. No injuries were reported from the incident, which has left traffic diverted and raised questions about driving safety and cargo transport regulations.
The chase that began in Chicago’s Englewood area extended to another group of officers intercepting a second vehicle, a van, also allegedly involved in the burglary. According to statements provided by the police, after a harrowing encounter where another suspect was run over by the van while trying to escape, the driver remains at large, with police locating the empty van later on. Both incidents have triggered investigations by Chicago’s Civilian Office of Police Accountability (COPA) and the Chicago Police Department’s own Investigative Response Team…