PEORIA, Ill. – Peoria’s Police Chief is blasting the juvenile justice system and parental responsibility after a violent car chase Tuesday morning.
Chief Eric Echevarria provided more details of the chase that led to the arrests of two adults and four juveniles.
Echevarria says the group reportedly committed a “coordinated attack” of robbery and aggravated battery against a 15-year-old behind the BP gas station at Knoxville and Archer. The group allegedly beat, stomped, and robbed the teen of a phone and hoodie. The teenager was hospitalized, but later released.
Echevarris says at 7:13 A.M., the group allegedly performed burnouts in a Jeep in the Peoria High parking lot during arrivals for school. He says the group then reportedly targeted a 14-year-old juvenile who was exiting a school bus. The 14-year-old ran inside for safety.
Echevarria says the group reportedly moved on to Richwoods High School at 7:24 A.M., where they allegedly drove onto the school’s front lawn while students were present.
Echevarria says the Jeep was then allegedly spotted between 7:30 – 8:06 A.M. running motorists off the road, driving at excessive speeds, driving the wrong way, throwing objects at police squad cars that included dumbbells, and attempting to strike squad cars. He says stop sticks were deployed in the area of Main and University near Bradley University, where the vehicle was disabled and the occupants arrested.
The two adults arrested were identified early Wednesday as 18-year-old Daviere Dillard and 18-year-old Quinzell Foy. Both were arrested on multiple charges that include mob action, aggravated battery, and contributing to the criminal delinquency.
Echevarria says Dillard had 21 prior arrests and 36 prior offenders in Peoria alone before Tuesday’s incident, with a history that includes multiple stolen vehicle cases, domestic battery, and aggravated battery that includes battery against police officers. He added that Foy only had one prior arrest.
Echevarria says three of the four juveniles charged in the case had prior arrests; a 15-year-old with eight prior arrests that include firearm and police officer assault offenses, and a 13-year-old with six prior arrests that include mob action with injury.
“When we see juveniles with repeated arrests for violence, stolen vehicles, weapon offenses, and assault on police, and they return to the streets escalating their behavior, something in the system is not working,” Echevarria said.
Peoria Police provided a list to WMBD Radio of requests to legislators about changes the department would like to see made to the Illinois Juvenile Court Act of 1987. Some of the proposals include mandatory detention hearings for violent offenses, graduated consequences for chronic offenders, and increased accountability for parents and guardians.
Echevarria also focused his ire on what he perceives as a lack of parental involvement and responsibility in the city. He claims there are patterns of behavior that are visible in most cases, and warning signs are ignored by the juvenile justice system, or at home.
In one claim, Echevarria claims some juveniles arrested will post videos or livestreams of themselves committing crimes, with some doing it on accounts that are connected to or shared with their parents.
“So the question becomes, are they not paying attention? Do they not grasp the seriousness? Or has dangerous behavior become normalized?” Echevarria said.
Echevarria also raised the possibility of parents being charged for crimes their children commit.
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