Photo: Alexander Mullican, 18, of Burbank & Derek BurnsFour people, including a 17-year-old boy, were charged in connection with a 4-mile police chase in which a police SUV was struck by a stolen car and a police officer was punched in the face by a fleeing suspect.
No officers were seriously hurt in the incident that began near 64th Street and South Archer Avenue in the Garfield Ridge neighborhood on the Southwest Side, authorities said.
Officers tried to curb a tan 2002 Dodge Neon at about 8:50 p.m. Tuesday after they noticed it had made a turn without signaling, said Officer Robert Perez, a police spokesman.
When the Neon's driver refused to pull over, police pursued it through south suburban Bridgeview and Bedford Park.
During the chase, the Neon swerved into a police vehicle, but the officers inside weren't hurt, Perez said.
When the Neon suffered a flat tire in the 7700 block of South Oketo Avenue in Bridgeview, the car's driver and front-seat passenger bailed out, leaving two rear-seat passengers behind, Perez said.
When one of the officers tried to arrest the driver, he punched the cop in the face, causing minor injuries, Perez said. The man, later identified as Derek Burns, 18, was later taken into custody.
The front-seat passenger was arrested 17 minutes later near 79th Street and Harlem Avenue. Police later determined that the Neon was reported stolen from Portage, Ind.
Burns, of the 5900 block of West 55th Street, was charged with several felonies, including unlawful possession of a stolen vehicle, aggravated battery to a police officer, aggravated fleeing and eluding and possession of a controlled substance for suspected cocaine found in the front of the car, police said.
The front-seat passenger, Alexander Mullican, 18, of Burbank, was also charged with unlawful possession of a stolen vehicle and possession of a controlled substance, both felonies.
Both rear-seat passengers, Scott Burns, 39, of the 55th Street address, and the teen, who police wouldn't identify because of his age, were charged with misdemeanor criminal trespass to a vehicle. Police believe both Burnses are related, but couldn't say how.
Derek Burns and Mullican are expected to appear in Central Bond Court later today.
