MENDOTA – On Thursday, Nov. 23, 2017, at approximately 5:53 a.m., Mendota police officers monitored an ISPERN (Illinois State Police Emergency Radio Network) broadcast, reporting a reckless driver southbound on Interstate 39.

A Mendota police officer located the vehicle from the ISPERN broadcast on U.S. 34 near I-39 and conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle. As the officer approached the vehicle on foot, the driver of the vehicle fled the traffic stop location and returned to I-39 traveling south. The officer pursued the vehicle southbound on I-39 at speeds in excess of 100 miles per hour. The vehicle exited west onto Interstate 80 and the pursuit was terminated for safety reasons.

An investigation took place and the driver was identified as Emmanuel M. Williams, 20, of Rockford. Williams had an active arrest warrant for failure to appear, aggravated battery to a peace officer, from Rockford. The Mendota Police Department and Rockford Police Department made attempts to locate Williams and were unsuccessful.

On Friday, Dec 23, 2017, at approximately 1:30 p.m., Mendota police officers monitored an ISPERN broadcast for a domestic battery that had occurred in Oglesby. The ISPERN broadcast listed Williams as the alleged offender, and he was later located and taken into custody by the Oglesby Police Department.

Members of the Mendota Police Department, investigations division, met with Williams once he had been transferred to the custody of the LaSalle County Jail. Williams was being interviewed in regard to the Nov. 23 high speed pursuit, and he eventually confessed to being the driver of the vehicle. Williams was later indicted by a LaSalle County grand jury for the Class 4 felony offense of aggravated fleeing and eluding.

Williams remained in custody at the LaSalle County Jail.