Weekend Traffic Stop in Joliet Leads to Foot Chase and a Pair of Arrests

A weekend traffic stop in Joliet led to a foot chase and the discovery of a handgun. It was at 8:57pm on June 5th that officers made a traffic stop on a vehicle near Plainfield Road and Connecticut Avenue. After approaching the vehicle officers smelled the odor of marijuana from within the car. It was at that time that one of the occupants of the vehicle, 20-year-old Demetrius Coleman, fled on foot from the vehicle but was quickly taken into custody without incident. Officers located Coleman’s backpack that he discarded during the chase and recovered a handgun. The handgun appeared to have a defaced serial number. A second individual in the vehicle, a 17-year-old juvenile, remained with the vehicle and upon a search was found to have a handgun in his pants.

Demetrius Coleman has been charged with Unlawful Possession of a Firearm by Felon, Defacing Identification Mark of Firearm, Aggravated Unlawful Use of a Weapon, No FOID, Unlawful Possession of Ammunition, and Obstructing a Peace Officer. The 17-year-old juvenile was charged with Aggravated Unlawful Use of a Weapon, No FOID, and Unlawful Possession of Ammunition.