Bicyclist Almost Struck By 'Blacked Out Camaro' Caught Doing 78 In A 35-MPH Zone: Forfeiture

CREST HILL, IL ? The Will County State's Attorney's Office often files a half dozen or more vehicle forfeiture cases every week at the Will County Courthouse. One from recent days involves a Joliet resident who may lose his 2011 Chevrolet Camaro after being arrested by Crest Hill police on charges of aggravated fleeing and eluding.

According to the forfeiture filing, Officer Gorz of Crest Hill was on routine patrol July 19 at Theodore Street and Raynor Avenue when he saw the Chevrolet Camaro pull out of a line of stopped cars at the red light and continue to pass the stopped vehicles and also disobey the red traffic light. The Camaro proceeded through the intersection going westbound along Theodore Street.

The officer activated his squad car's flashing lights and sirens and during his attempt to catch up to the fleeing Camaro, "Officer Gorz observed the Camaro deactivate all exterior lighting." While the Camaro was "blacked out," the complaint noted, "Officer Gorz's squad reached a maximum speed of 78 mph in a posted 35 mph zone."

Later, utilizing his city's License Plate Reader camera system, "Officer Gorz located the Camaro on the camaras and discovered the above captioned vehicle is registered to Raymond Gomez Jr." Court files show that Gomez lives in the 1800 block of Corregidor Street in Joliet.

"While Officer Gorz was gathering this information, 911 dispatchers relayed that a female bicyclist was almost struck by a 'blacked out' Camaro," the forfeiture reads.

When the officer made it to Gomez's address in Joliet, the officer found the unoccupied Camaro parked in the driveway and warm to the touch. Crest Hill police called a wrecker to have it towed. "How fast was I going?" Gomez Jr. asked the officer, according to the forfeiture filing.

When asked if anyone else was driving the Camaro that night, Gomez answered, "Just me," the complaint noted. He was placed under arrest on the aggravated fleeing and eluding charges and taken to the Crest Hill police station off Weber Road for processing. The police gave him a notice to appear in Will County court.

The forfeiture case is set for Oct. 8 at the Will County Courthouse.