Crash Kills Off-Duty Chicago Officer

Chicago Police Officer David Harris, 42, was headed home after finishing a late shift on a special team tasked with patrolling violent areas, reports the Chicago Tribune .

He was 15 minutes from his wife and two young sons when a white van, speeding away from police in Calumet Park, slammed into his black Lexus and pushed it against a light pole at the corner of 87th Street and South Lafayette Avenue shortly before 1 a.m. today, according to police.

The woman behind the wheel of the van suffered a broken arm and was taken to the Calumet Park police station after being treated. The woman, 31, has never had a driver’s license and has been stopped several times in the past for driving offenses, according to the Illinois secretary of state's office.

Several bags of marijuana were found in the van, according to Calumet Park Police Chief Mark Davis. He would not say why one of his officers began chasing the van or disclose other details, saying the circumstances of the chase were under investigation.