A Chicago man who allegedly rammed an Oak Lawn police car during a three-mile chase related to an early morning smash-and-grab theft at a south suburban currency exchange is scheduled to appear at the Cook County Courthouse in Bridgeview on Feb. 23.
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James J. Rydberg, 59, of the 5100 block of South Washtenaw Avenue, is charged with burglary and two counts of aggravated fleeing and eluding a police officer, as well as disregarding two stop signs, in connection with the 2:50 a.m. incident on Jan. 25 that reportedly began at the Illinois Currency Exchange, 11527 Pulaski Road, in Alsip.
An Oak Lawn police officer reportedly was driving in the 9500 block of Pulaski Road when he encountered a passing pickup that matched the description of the vehicle driven into the building during the theft of an automatic teller machine. The officer said a chain of the kind typically used in ATM thefts was hanging from the pickup.
The officer pursued the truck to Springfield Avenue, where the pickup driver allegedly stopped and put the vehicle into reverse, slamming into the front of the squad car and causing an estimated $300 in damage. The truck driver then shifted into drive, running stop signs at 85th Street and Springfield and at 85th and Columbus Avenue before hitting railroad crossing signage, police said.
Oak Lawn and Hometown police apprehended the driver after he fled the crash site on foot.
Rydberg remained in Cook County Jail Monday in lieu of $150,000 bail.
Dennis Sullivan is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.