Forest Park police picked up on a pursuit with a silver car on westbound I-290 from Des Plaines Avenue just after 3:45 p.m. Wednesday.
The pursuit started at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, when a man with a gun stole a purse from one of two women walking near Harrison Street and Lombard Avenue in Oak Park. The man drove off in a silver car, but a man who witnessed the robbery, followed the car with the robber and another person inside through Oak Park to the area of Maple Avenue and Jackson Boulevard.
Apparently noticing he was being followed, the suspect got out, fired one shot at the Good Samaritan’s vehicle, got back in the silver car and fled.
The offenders entered I-290 at Harlem Avenue. In all Forest Park, Oak Park and the Illinois State Police chased the offender and were able to stop the offender and accomplice in the vehicle by 3:50 p.m. on the Eisenhower Expressway (I-290).
Additional Illinois State Police units responded to the scene for traffic control and shut down all but one Westbound I-290 lane during resolution of the pursuit and arrest of the suspects. About 12 police units ultimately responded to the scene.
Diego Garcia, 20, and Cassandra Lavold, 21, both of the 2300 block of North Mannheim Road, Melrose Park, are charged with armed robbery and attempted murder charges after robbing the purse and shooting at the Good Samaritan.
Garcia is also charged with unlawful use of a weapon and Lavold is being charged with possession of firearm ammunition without a Firearm Owners Identification (FOID) Card.
No injuries were reported. The Eisenhower Expressway (I-290) was cleared of police activity by 4:30 p.m. Wednesday.