Two Chicago men accused of trying to break into a Naperville home and changing vehicles to throw off a police chase are being held on felony charges, according to the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office.
Rocky Miller, 45, of the 4600 block of West 79th Street, and Vincent Ely, 21, of the 3300 block of Leavitt Street, were being followed Oct. 4 by Downers Grove police in connection with an organized crime ring when they allegedly forced open the rear door of a home in the 1600 block of Apache Drive, a State’s Attorney’s Office news release said.
The officers observed them knock on the house’s front door, receive no answer and then go to the back entrance, the report said. The scream of one of the homeowners when they allegedly entered the house prompted them to flee.
Police followed the pair to a White Castle in Chicago and tried to pull them over in a traffic stop. However, the driver — identified as Miller — quickly accelerated, striking a Lincolnwood police officer and crashing into his squad car before getting away, the report said.
Miller allegedly began driving in excess of 80 mph, striking a Chicago Police Department squad car and two civilian vehicles, officials said. At some point they met up with someone who gave them access to a minivan so they could abandon their Nissan Rogue, the report said.
The suspects made it to 71st Street and Lafayette Avenue in Chicago, where they crashed the van and took off on foot, the report said. Police took them into custody after a brief chase. Downers Grove police later located the ditched Rogue.
Miller and Ely were each charged with one count of attempted residential burglary, a class 2 felony. Miller is on parole for conspiracy to commit residential burglary, the report said.
Both men will be held in the DuPage County jail while they await trial under court orders from DuPage County Judge Margaret O’Connell.
“Thanks to the outstanding work of the Downers Grove Police Department, the two defendants have been arrested, charged and will be fully prosecuted,” State’s Attorney Robert Berlin said in a statement.
“The cooperation exhibited by the multiple agencies involved in this case is a testament to law enforcement not only in DuPage County, but all of our law enforcement partners.”
Miller is next scheduled to be in court on Oct. 29 and Ely on Oct. 30.
