3 Arrested, 3 Illegal Firearms Seized After Police Chase in Northeast Champaign | Courts-police-firemen

CHAMPAIGN — An incident that prompted a second soft lockdown Thursday at a northeast Champaign elementary school and a high-speed police chase ended with three arrests and the seizure of three illegally-held weapons.

Champaign police said officers stopped a vehicle in the 2000 block of North Market Street around 3:05 p.m. after seeing an armed person inside.

The vehicle sped off after being pulled over, authorities said, prompting officers to chase it until it stopped again — this time in the 1000 block of North Sixth Street — due to a reported mechanical failure.

All four occupants of the car then got out and ran away, police said.

The three were arrested after several local law enforcement agencies joined Champaign police in the search. Arrested were William Lowes, 25, and Trevoy Fonville, 28, of Champaign, and Anthony Wilkins, 29, of Rantoul.

Champaign police were assisted in the investigation by Urbana and University of Illinois police officers, as well as deputies from the Champaign County Sheriff’s Office.

Booker T. Washington STEM Academy was placed on soft lockdown due to its proximity to the incident, the second day in a row that police activity nearby led Block 4 officials to initiate a school closure.

Thursday’s soft lockdown ended at 3:55 p.m., but “the release has been delayed until we receive clearance from CPD,” county spokeswoman Stacey Moore said.

Champaign police said the investigation is ongoing and they continued to canvass the area for witnesses and video.

Any residents or businesses with outdoor video surveillance systems are urged to notify police at 217-351-4545. Those wishing to remain anonymous may contact Champaign County Crime Stoppers at 217-373-8477 or 373tips.com or via the free mobile app “P3 Tips”.