WASHINGTON PARK, Ill. — Two men have been charged in the death of an auxiliary police officer who fell off the Poplar Street Bridge while chasing them.
Chaun'tuan Gillespie and Valention Miller were each charged with involuntary manslaughter and aggravated unlawful use of a weapon. Miller also is charged with aggravated fleeing police.
An officer tried to pull over the men in the East St. Louis area Saturday afternoon, but Miller--who was behind the wheel--sped off, according to the charging documents. The chase continued westbound on I-64, where the suspects sideswiped several cars and crashed into a barrier on the Poplar Street Bridge.
Several officers, including auxiliary officer Ricardo Davis, chased the men through traffic on the bridge.
Davis jumped over several concrete barriers on the bridge, but didn't realize one of them had a drop-off. He fell 50 feet to the ground. He later died at a hospital.
"According to other officers, he had jumped over several concrete barriers and the third one I believe was the one that ended up being deadly," an Illinois State Police spokesman said Sunday afternoon.
The state's attorney wouldn't explain why police initially tried to pull over the men, saying that information is now part of the evidence of the case that could be brought up at trial. During their search, officers found a 9mm semi-automatic handgun, according to the charging documents.
Bail for Miller was set for $40,000 and for Gillespie it's $30,000.
"There's not much my office can say except to express our condolences to the family of this officer, who was doing his job and lost his life while doing his job trying to keep people safe. And that is something that affects us all," St. Clair County State's Attorney Brendan Kelly said while announcing the charges Tuesday.
Ricardo Davis was an auxiliary officer with the Washington Park Police Department. Kelly explained that this meant Davis worked under the supervision of a deputized officer.
Davis was 44 years old and left behind six children. He had been with the department for one year and previously served with the Brooklyn Police Department, according to The BackStoppers.
On Monday, The BackStoppers announced it is helping the Davis' family.
"A hero lost his life yesterday performing his duties as a police officer," said Chief Ron Battelle, executive director of The BackStoppers. "Our sympathies go out to his family and we want them to know we'll be there to support them as they cope with this tragedy now and for years to come."
