A 24-year-old Elgin man has been sentenced to 4 years in prison for attempting to drive over two Hawthorn Woods police officers during an August traffic stop.
Christopher Caceres, of the 700 block of Walnut Avenue, pleaded guilty this week in Lake County Circuit Court to two counts of aggravated battery and one count of possession of cocaine.
Caceres was arrested Aug. 17 in Elgin after he fled the scene of a traffic stop in the 26700 block of Schrewman Road in Hawthorn Woods. Police pulled over Caceres after they saw him drive out of a nearby cornfield.
Caceres struggled with two officers after they found cocaine in his pocket, and he dragged both officers back to his car. Caceres began to drive away, dragging both officers across a lawn. Both officers let go and rolled to the ground, but Caceres turned the car around to drive in the direction of one of the officers.
Both officers drew their weapons and fired at the car several times. Caceres was not hit. He drove to Elgin, where officers began a second chase that ended when Caceres drove his car into an Elgin police officer’s squad car and 12 police officers subdued him, said Assistant State’s Atty. Karen Lentz.
Lake County Circuit Judge James Booras sentenced Caceres on Monday, but that term may be replaced by a 120-day stay in a boot camp program if Caceres qualifies. Even if he is accepted into the program, he will serve at least a 3-year sentence for possession of cocaine, Booras said.
