Men brandishing guns arrested after Palatine crash; man arrested for attacking driver, injuring cop

PALATINE, Ill. (WLS) -- New details have been released Friday about arrests that were made after a multi-car crash in north suburban Palatine Thursday morning.

Two male suspects in a black SUV, that was driving recklessly and struck other vehicles and whose occupants were pointing handguns at people, were arrested, police said. During the arrest of the driver of the black SUV, a passenger from one of the other vehicles that was struck in the crash attempted to attack the driver and assaulted a police officer in the process.

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Surveillance video captured the black SUV weaving through traffic before crashing into at least three other cars. Another angle shows a man in a black hoodie running into a nearby business, trying to get away from police.

The situation all unfolded at Rand Road and Winslowe Drive just after 11 a.m. Thursday.

Palatine police said five vehicles were involved in the crash, and four adults were taken to nearby hospitals with non-life threatening injuries. Police said a 20- and 22-year-old man in the suspect black Honda CRV were injured after rear-ending a tan GMC Tahoe. A 53- and 59-year-old woman in the Tahoe were also injured. The black SUV was inoperable after the rear-end crash.

Police were not far behind after the crash, and witnesses said officers eventually found the man who ran inside a nearby auto shop.

While the 20-year-old driver of the black SUV was being taken into custody, a 26-year-old man whose girlfriend's vehicle was hit attempted to attack the driver. A police officer attempted to intervene and was injured.

The 26-year-old man, identified by police as James Howard of Palatine, was also arrested and has been charged with Aggravated Battery to a Police Officer, Aggravated Resisting a Police Officer and Obstructing a Police Officer.

Cell phone video showed at least two people in police custody, one of them seen limping while being led away in handcuffs. Another person in the video is seen on the ground in a neck brace while also in handcuffs.

It appears they were both placed on stretchers and taken away in ambulances.

The conditions of everyone involved in the crash and how the incident started was not immediately known.

Details about criminal charges for the arrested suspects who were in the black SUV were not immediately available.

Palatine police said the crash is still under investigation.