THE FOLLOWING IS A VERMILION COUNTY STATE’S ATTORNEY’S OFFICE RELEASE
On November 17, 2023, David Smith, Jr., formerly of Chicago, Illinois, plead guilty before the Honorable Derek Girton. Smith, Jr. was sentenced to 7 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections for the offense of Aggravated Unlawful Use of a Weapon, a class 2 felony. Following his prison sentence, Smith, Jr. will also serve a term of 1 year mandatory supervised release.
The Court heard evidence that on March 18, 2023, shortly after midnight, Westville Police Department responded to shots fired in the area of the Westville Post Office. Officers observed a vehicle nearby and attempted to conduct a traffic stop. The driver, David Smith, Jr. refused to pull over and subsequently led police on a high-speed chase, exceeding speeds of 100 miles per hour until he lost control of the car after attempting to make a turn onto I-74.
The vehicle crashed near Georgetown Road and I-74. Smith, Jr. then struggled with police while being arrested. A handgun was found on his person and another was located on the driver’s side floor of the vehicle.
State’s Attorney Jacqueline Lacy thanked the Westville Police Department, the Danville Police Department and the Vermilion County Sheriff’s Department for their combined efforts in this case.