Two Cook County women will remain behind bars after a DuPage County judge found their alleged roles in a 104-mph chase on Butterfield Road posed too great a threat to public safety for release.

Butterfield Road is a major east-west corridor through Oak Brook and Lombard, carrying heavy commuter and retail traffic. The chase unfolded on a Saturday night when other motorists were on the road.

Judge Michael Burton granted the state's motion to detain Vanessa Mejia, 29, of Elmwood Park, and Magaly Valencia, 21, of Des Plaines, following the Saturday, Aug. 1, pursuit that ended in two crashes and sent an Oak Brook police officer to the hospital with minor injuries.

DuPage County State's Attorney Robert Berlin and Oak Brook Chief of Police Brian Strockis announced the detention order on Monday, Aug. 3.

What authorities say happened

At approximately 10:14 p.m. on Aug. 1, an Oak Brook officer attempted to stop an Infiniti driven by Mejia near Butterfield Road and Meyers Road for expired license plates and tinted windows, according to the state's attorney's office as reported by the DuPage Policy Journal.

As the officer activated emergency lights and moved behind the Infiniti, a Dodge Charger driven by Valencia allegedly cut in and blocked the officer from completing the stop.

Mejia then fled east on Butterfield Road, reaching speeds above 104 mph in a posted 45-mph zone. She lost control while trying to pass another vehicle and crashed. Officers took her into custody at the scene.

After that crash, the officer braked. Valencia, who authorities say had kept pace with the squad car throughout the pursuit, lost control of her Charger and slammed into the officer's vehicle, causing significant damage. The officer was taken to a local hospital; Patch reported the injuries as minor.

Charges filed

Mejia faces one count of aggravated fleeing and eluding, a Class 4 felony, plus multiple misdemeanor and petty traffic offenses.

Valencia faces the same fleeing charge along with an additional count of concealing or aiding a fugitive, also a Class 4 felony, for allegedly using her vehicle to shield Mejia from the traffic stop.

Why detention, not release

Under Illinois' Pretrial Fairness Act, which eliminated cash bail in September 2023, pre-trial detention requires a judge to find by clear and convincing evidence that a defendant poses a real and present threat to public safety or a high likelihood of flight, and that no release conditions can mitigate the risk. Burton's order means neither woman can be released before trial absent a successful appeal.

"The allegations that these two defendants sped down an extremely busy road in excess of one hundred miles per hour are outrageous," Berlin said in the Aug. 3 announcement. He added that DuPage County has "absolutely zero tolerance" for such conduct and that anyone who commits it will be fully prosecuted.

Strockis said the conduct reflected a complete disregard for human life and the rule of law, and that he was grateful the officer's injuries were minor and no bystanders were hurt.

Assistant State's Attorneys Anna Derkacz and Michael Pingaj prosecuted the detention hearing.

What's next

Both defendants are scheduled to appear in DuPage County court on Aug. 31. Anyone with information about the incident can contact the Oak Brook Police Department.