2 killed in Aurora crash near 4th and Ashland following police chase

AURORA, Ill. (WLS) -- Two people were killed in a crash following a police chase in Aurora Friday morning.

Aurora police said just before 9:30 a.m. officers conducted a traffic stop at South 4th Street and Galena Boulevard. They said the driver, a 28-year-old man from Wheaton, was wanted on several warrants, including one for armed robbery. The car's passenger, a 52-year-old man from Chicago, was wanted by the Illinois Department of Corrections.

Police said when the officer told the passenger he was under arrest and to get out of the car, the driver took off southbound.

Police gave chase, but the department said they stopped the pursuit because of how fast the fleeing car was driving. A short time later, police said they learned the car had been involved in a single-car crash near 4th and Ashland.

"I heard the explosion. I came running out and I saw all the smoke," said Nikki Vandervort, resident.

"Somebody's leg was on the grass," said Livia Byrne.

Neighbor Frances Sherman had just entered his house moments before the crash.

"I ran outside right away and I looked in the car and I couldn't see anything," he said. "For about 10 seconds I was yelling 'Are you OK?' and then I saw the person's face and he died instantly on impact."

"I saw a man running around the corner yelling, 'He's dead, he's dead,'" Vendervort said.

Neighbor Jose Ortega told ABC7, with the help of a translator, that the car appeared to be going about 90 miles an hour, even though the street is a 20 miles per hour zone.

The crash and deaths are being investigated by the Kane County Major Crimes Task Force Officer-Involved Death team. No further details have been released.