Police say the adults had drugs in the car.
Carl Adams, 26, of the 6500 block of S. Peoria, was charged with one count of unlawful use of a weapon by a felon, possession of a controlled substance and two counts of endangering the life/health of a child. Adams is scheduled to appear in court Thursday.
Clara Ford, 22, also of the 6500 block of S. Peoria, was charged with two counts of endangering the life/health of a child, fleeing or attempting to elude police, DUI, failure to stop at a stop sign, reckless driving, damage to public property, driving on suspended license, no insurance and transporting alcohol while driving. Ford is still hospitalized at Christ Hospital.
According to authorities, the pursuit started at approximately 11 p.m. Monday when officers received a tip and tried to pull over a car near 87th Street and Wood. The car, which was carrying the children, sped off, police said. Officers chased the vehicle for about a half-mile before it hit railroad tracks, went airborne and slammed into a pole.
City crews were at the scene of the crash Tuesday sweeping up and removing what was left of the damaged light pole.
Authorities say the woman is the mother of the children, two boys.
"I saw two kids in the back," neighbor Pierre Curry said. "One was in a car seat, and the other was crying. Man, [police] came from everywhere. I saw the baby hollering in the back seat crying."
The boys are 3 years old and 1 year old. Curry said he saw a knot on the older boy's head. Emergency crews had to use the jaws of life to rescue the mother, who was revived at the scene.
"Man, it was terrible. It was sad though. It shook the whole building, shook the whole building," said Curry.
Police said drugs were thrown out of the vehicle during the chase. They also said a gun was recovered from the vehicle, which had been under surveillance.
