Man charged with murder after South Side police chase

A Far South Side man has been charged with murder in connection with a police chase and crash that killed a woman driving to work.
Timothy Jones, 20, was fleeing officers after a home invasion around 10:30 a.m. Wednesday when a police SUV crashed into a car driven by Jacqueline Reynolds, 56, at 76th Street and Yates Boulevard
Jones was also charged with armed home invasion, armed robbery with a firearm, leaving the scene of an accident causing injury or death, attempting to elude police and misdemeanor leaving the scene of an accident.
Two officers assigned to the Gresham Police District were injured in the wreck and taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital.
Police said the officers' SUV had its siren and lights operating but couldn't say if the squad car ran a red light at 76th Street and Yates Boulevard during the chase or how fast the vehicle was going.
As with all police chases, the department will look into whether the officers followed proper procedures in pursuing the suspects, a spokesman said. Officers must weigh the seriousness of the offense against the dangers of a chase for other drivers and bystanders.
Officers are not allowed to chase suspects wanted for minor traffic offenses. But the suspects in Wednesday’s case committed a serious crime with a gun.
The chase began in the Grand Crossing neighborhood and ended a short time later about two miles away in the South Shore neighborhood.
According to police sources, the officers gave chase based on reports that three suspects had just used a gun to commit a home invasion in the 7800 block of South Ellis Avenue. Moments later, the police SUV, heading east on 76th Street, and Reynolds' 2006 Pontiac collided at Yates.
Shortly after the crash, other officers apprehended Jones about two blocks away, police said. A police source said items taken during the home invasion were found in that vehicle, but no gun was recovered.