St. Charles Man Crashes Stolen Car, Runs Into Woods: Palos Park Police

PALOS PARK, IL — A St. Charles man who crashed a stolen vehicle into a traffic light and then hit another vehicle, was taken into custody after fleeing into the woods Tuesday afternoon, Palos Park police said.

Charges are pending against Juan Morales Bando, 23, who also has cases in West Chicago, Hinsdale and Burr Ridge, police said. The vehicle was reported stolen out of West Chicago.

The incident unfolded at 12:40 p.m., when Palos Park police received a report of a reckless driver at 131st Street and LaGrange Road. Officers rolled up to the crash scene where the stolen vehicle had apparently crashed into a traffic light before hitting another vehicle.

The driver, later identified as Morales Bando, ran into the woods northwest direction heading toward 104th Street and Route 83, police said.

Palos Park police were joined by officers from Hinsdale, Burr Ridge, the Cook County Sheriff’s Department and Illinois State Police. Palos Heights and Orland Park cops provided drones and Cook County and ISP K9s searched the woods.

Other motorists said they saw the man run past their vehicles into the woods. The intersection was closed for several hours while police investigated the accident.

Morales Bando was taken into custody. He was turned over to West Chicago police, with other charges pending in Hinsdale and Burr Ridge.

Chief Joe Miller, of the Palos Park Police Department, told Patch that Morales Bando will be charged for the traffic crash after the more serious charges are filed in DuPage County.