Kenosha police chase into Illinois, man accused had revoked license

KENOSHA, Wis. - An Illinois man is accused of leading police on a chase through Kenosha County and across the state line on Dec. 29.

Prosecutors charged 31-year-old Jesus Catalan with nine felonies and two misdemeanors. Police reported the chase stretched just over 30 miles with a top speed estimated at 100 mph.

According to a criminal complaint, Kenosha police were initially alerted around 3 a.m. that a black SUV – which had fled police in Pleasant Prairie and Waukegan, Illinois on Dec. 23 – was spotted near 52nd Street and Green Bay Road. An officer soon found a black SUV in that area and did a U-turn to check its license plates. That's when court filings state the SUV's lights suddenly turned off and the driver, since identified as Catalan, sped off and ran a red light.

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The officer caught up with the SUV and started the pursuit near 58th Avenue and 55th Street, per the complaint. While the SUV sped up, the officer was able to confirm the license plates matched those of the SUV involved in the Dec. 23 pursuit. The SUV sped and weaved around Kenosha as police tried to keep sight of it.

A second Kenosha police officer joined the pursuit in an unmarked squad, and the chase continued for another five miles. At times, the complaint states, Catalan drove in the oncoming lanes – and based on officers' accounts, appeared to drive directly at police vehicles. 

The complaint states the chase continued toward a parking lot where, instead of slowing down, Catalan drove over a concrete parking block. The SUV went airborne but kept going.

Police deployed stop sticks near 63rd Street and Sheridan Road. Multiple tires went flat, but prosecutors said Catalan kept going and reached speeds estimated at more than 70 mph. Pleasant Prairie police joined the pursuit as it continued west on 75th Street and reached an estimated speed of 95 mph. A Pleasant Prairie squad pulled in front of Catalan's SUV, and the SUV rammed into the back of the squad, before the chase moved onto the interstate.

With the driver's side front tire now gone, court filings state Catalan continued to flee police at an estimated top speed of 100 mph. Kenosha and Pleasant Prairie police continued the pursuit as it crossed into Illinois.

The SUV began to slow down with the front wheel apparently broken – smoke, sparks and debris began to fly. As Pleasant Prairie police tried to box the SUV in and stop it, the complaint states Catalan continued to swerve around squad cars and, at one point, ran a Kenosha squad off the road. That officer then turned back into traffic, and collided with the SUV – the two vehicles becoming entangled – and the SUV finally stopped.

Kenosha police, Pleasant Prairie police and officers from several Illinois law enforcement agencies held Catalan at gunpoint, according to the complaint, and took him into custody through the back passenger door of the SUV. Lake County sheriff's deputies then took custody of Catalan. At the Lake County Jail, the complaint states Catalan had "red glossy eyes" and smelled of intoxicants. 

A search of the SUV found 2.8 grams of cocaine in the driver door's pocket, a bottle of Crown Royal on the front passenger seat, a cellphone and hundreds of dollars in cash.

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In all, Catalan is charged with:

• Vehicle operator fleeing/eluding an officer (causing damage to property)
• First-degree recklessly endangering safety
• Second-degree recklessly endangering safety (three counts)
• Possession of cocaine
• Operating a motor vehicle while revoked
• Failure to install ignition interlock device
• Felony bail jumping (three counts)

Catalan is yet to make his initial appearance in Kenosha County court, pending extradition from Illinois.