Off-Duty Cop Dies In Crash Fleeing Police: Arlington Heights PD

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, IL — A 29-year-old man, who was an off-duty Chicago police officer, was killed early Monday after his car left a road and crashed through three yards in Arlington Heights. The accident happened at around 1 a.m. in the 600 block of South Reuter Drive.

The driver, Jose L. Castro, of Chicago, was driving a 2021 black Toyota 4Runner at a high rate of speed northbound on Wilke Road, from Algonquin Road, according to police and first reported by WLS-TV. As the vehicle reached the area of Wilke and West Kirchoff roads, it left the roadway and struck a utility pole. The car continued across Kirchoff Road, entered a backyard, tumbled end over end, and landed in the 600 block of South Reuter Drive.

Shortly before Castro entered the jurisdictional boundaries of Arlington Heights, an on-duty Rolling Meadows officer, in a marked police vehicle, saw the SUV traveling at a high rate of speed on Algonquin Road, just under two miles from the scene of the crash. The Rolling Meadows officer attempted to conduct a traffic stop of the vehicle, but the 2021 Toyota 4Runner fled the stop northbound on Wilke Road from Algonquin Road, according to police. The Rolling Meadows officer did not pursue the vehicle once it turned onto northbound Wilke Road from Algonquin Road.

Castro was taken to Lutheran General Hospital, where he died from his injuries at 4:45 a.m. Monday, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office. WLS-TV said a Chicago police spokesperson told them the man was an off-duty Chicago police officer who worked in the 15th District. The Arlington Heights Police Department confirmed this Monday.

A 33-year-old passenger in Castro's car was also taken to Northwest Community Hospital, where he was treated and released. No other people were injured due to the crash, according to police.

Northbound Wilke and Central roads were closed to just north of Kirchoff, due to an investigation. The westbound lane of Kirchoff and Dwyer also remained closed. Police were asking drivers to avoid the area until further notice.

The Major Case Assistance Team and Serious Traffic Accident Reconstruction Team are assisting in the investigation.

Police said Monday "while speed was clearly a factor in the crash, impairment was also suspected, but not confirmed."