Two men were charged with multiple crimes after a pair of police pursuits Wednesday in Ottawa and Morris.

Cory D. Yates, 44, of Decatur was charged with burglary, a Class 2 felony carrying three to seven years in prison, following the first pursuit that began after Ottawa police investigated a retail theft at 5:41 p.m. Wednesday in the 2700 block of Columbus Street.

As officers tried to conduct a stop on the suspect vehicle, the vehicle fled and was discovered to have been reported stolen out of Champaign County.

Ottawa officers were able to successfully use “stop sticks” on the vehicle to deflate two of its tires in the area of Oaklawn Avenue and Everette Road. As the vehicle came to a stop, the driver and passenger fled from the stop on foot.

The passenger, Yates, was taken into custody and released with a notice to appear. Officers were able to identify the driver as Keaon M. Johnson, 34, of Chicago, though he initially eluded arrest.

Later, at approximately 8:12 p.m., Ottawa officers were sent to the 700 block of Bellevue Avenue in reference to a stolen vehicle. After an investigation, police determined Johnson had stolen the vehicle.

Officers notified all other jurisdictions in the area to be on the lookout for the vehicle, which was later tracked to a gas station in Morris.

Morris officers attempted to perform a traffic stop on the vehicle, which fled. Deputies from Grundy and La Salle counties assisted in the pursuit and disabled the vehicle with stop sticks in Somonauk.

Johnson was taken into custody and transported to the Grundy County Jail on outstanding, unrelated warrants and charges from the Grundy County Sheriff’s Office.

Ottawa officers later charged Johnson with burglary and possession of a stolen motor vehicle, both Class 2 felonies, aggravated fleeing and eluding and possession of burglary tools, both Class 4 felonies carrying one to three years, and misdemeanor reckless driving.

The Ottawa Police Department was assisted by the La Salle County Sheriff’s Office, Grundy County Sheriff’s Office and Morris Police Department.