Drive-By Shooting In Joliet, Teens Crash At I-80 Ravine: Police

JOLIET, IL — Joliet police arrested a 15-year-old boy and a 14-year-old boy late Wednesday afternoon following a drive-by shooting on the city's southeast side near Jasper and Water Streets. The shooting led to a brief police chase, and the teens crashed into a ravine along Interstate 80 near Richards Street, according to police reports.

The 14-year-old was taken to the River Valley Juvenile Justice Center on McDonough Street where he was charged with aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, possession of a stolen gun, having no Firearm Owner's ID and two counts of resisting a peace officer.

The 15-year-old was charged with aggravated fleeing and eluding police, possession of a stolen car, obstructing a peace officer and several traffic violations. He was released to the custody of his parents, Joliet police said.

Around 3:05 p.m., several Joliet police cars raced to the scene of the shooting after learning that someone in a car fired several bullets at two people in the neighborhood around Jasper and Water. Although nobody was hit by the bullets, a car was shot, police said.

Other officers spotted the getaway vehicle near Fourth Avenue and Sherman Street. When police tried to stop the car, the underage driver did not stop, according to police reports.

"Officers pursued the vehicle to the area of Richards Street and Interstate 80 at which time the vehicle continued to flee from officers traveling eastbound on Interstate 80," police said. "The vehicle had a mechanical failure and left the roadway, entering a ravine to the south of the Interstate where the vehicle came to a stop."

At that point, the 15-year-old driver tried to outrun the Joliet police, but officers captured him, police said. The 14-year-old boy, clutching his gun, also tried outrunning the officers, and he threw his gun over a nearby fence, police said.

Police captured him as well after a brief struggle.

"Officers recovered the loaded handgun that the juvenile had tossed over the fence. It was determined that this firearm had previously been reported stolen," Joliet police said.

The car used in Wednesday's drive-by shooting was already reported stolen, according to police reports.