$500K bond for man charged after west suburban police chase

Matthew Wieczorek | Hillside Police Department

(OAKBROOK TERRACE) A man is facing several felony charges after authorities say he led them on a chase through the western suburbs last week and tried striking officers with his vehicle.

Westmont resident Matthew Wieczorek, 35, is charged with attempted murder, aggravated assault, aggravated fleeing, attempting to elude and violating his parole, according to a statement from Hillside police. There are also charges pending against him in DuPage County.

He was ordered held on a $500,000 bond in court on Tuesday, according to Cook County Circuit Court records.

About 11:45 a.m. on Monday, Aug. 10, Hillside police received a dispatch through the Illinois State Police Emergency Radio Network that Oakbrook police were pursuing a vehicle wanted in a hit-and-run.

Hillside police found Wieczorek—who was also wanted on a domestic battery warrant out of Westmont—in the wanted blue pickup, stopped in traffic at Wolf and Butterfield roads, police said. The truck sped off when police turned on their emergency lights and ordered him out of the truck.

Police chased the vehicle down a dead-end street to a train station in Berkeley, where officers got out of their squad cars to arrest Wieczorek, police said. He turned the pickup around and tried to run an officer over, prompting the officer to fire his weapon and strike the truck.

Wieczorek continued to drive west into DuPage County, where he tried to run over an Oakbrook police officer near Butterfield and Midwest roads, police said.

The pickup eventually crashed into the back of another vehicle near Midwest and 22nd Street in Oakbrook Terrace, police said. Wieczorek was arrested there just after noon, police said.

None of the officers involved were seriously injured.

Wieczorek is due back in court Friday, records show.

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