Off-duty Chicago police officer dies in crash after speeding away from traffic stop in Arlington Heights

Emergency Room

CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- An off-duty Chicago police officer was killed when he crashed his SUV after speeding away from a traffic stop in Arlington Heights early Monday, authorities said.

An officer from Rolling Meadows noticed the officer’s Toyota 4Runner speeding on Algonquin Road just over the border in Arlington Heights around 1 a.m., police said.

The officer tried to pull over the 4Runner, but the car sped north on Wilke Road, Arlington Heights police said. The officer did not pursue the car, police said.

When the 4Runner reached Kirchoff Road, it left the road and struck a utility pole, sending the car across Kirchoff Road, tumbling “end over end” into a backyard in the 600 block of south Reuter, police said.

The driver, a 29-year-old off-duty Chicago police officer, died at Lutheran General Hospital, police said. His name hasn’t been released.

His 33-year-old passenger was treated and released from Northwest Community Hospital. There were no other injuries.

“While speed was clearly a factor in the crash, impairment was also suspected, but not confirmed,” police said in the statement.

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