Palatine police find loaded gun, arrest two

Two Palatine men face several charges after leading police on a chase that ended with officers finding a loaded handgun, authorities said.

Edgar Garcia, 19, of the 0-100 block of East Dundee Quarter, is charged with aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, a felony, and possession of a firearm without an owner’s identification card, a misdemeanor.

At a detention hearing Thursday in Rolling Meadows, a judge ordered Garcia held until his next court date on April 30.

Alexis Sanchez, 26, of the 1500 Block of Crimson Lane, is charged with fleeing and eluding a police officer and reckless driving, both misdemeanors.

Sanchez was released with a court date of May 12.

Palatine police responded Wednesday at approximately 11:40 a.m. to reports of an armed man vandalizing an exterior wall of a building on the 1900 block of North Green Lane, Palatine.

Arriving officers spotted Garcia, whose dress matched the description, police said.

Police said Garcia fled on foot and entered a gray Chevrolet Equinox driven by Sanchez. The vehicle then sped away from the area.

Additional officers intercepted and stopped the vehicle near Garcia’s home, police said.

Garcia allegedly attempted to flee on foot again, and during the pursuit, officers saw him remove a handgun from his hoodie and toss it into a nearby creek.

Following a brief foot pursuit, Palatine officers took Garcia into custody and recovered the loaded handgun from the creek.