An Ogle County judge denied a Leaf River man’s request to be released from jail Wednesday, Dec. 24, as he faces two felony and three misdemeanor offenses stemming from a police chase between Byron and Leaf River.

Zachary J. Popp, 31, is charged with the felony offenses of aggravated fleeing or attempting to elude a peace officer and possession of cocaine and the misdemeanor offenses of violating a condition of pretrial release, unlawful possession of hypodermic syringes or needles, and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia.

All the charges stem from a Dec. 20 incident where police say Popp refused to stop for deputies and drove over a curb and sidewalk in Byron before his vehicle was disabled east of Leaf River.

According to the Ogle County Sheriff’s Office, deputies attempted to check on a Ford Edge parked at a closed business in the 100 block of South Union Street in Byron at 10:53 p.m. Dec. 20.

“The Ford immediately fled the location, driving over the curb and sidewalk, and diagonally entered the intersection of E. Blackhawk Drive and S. Union Street,” according to an Ogle County Sheriff’s Office news release. “The Ford fled westbound on W. Blackhawk Drive, disregarding the stop light at N. Colfax Street ... continued to flee westbound on IL RTE 72, and was eventually disabled just east of Leaf River.”

Deputies were assisted on scene by the Byron Police Department, and Leaf River Fire Department/EMS, according to the release.

The felony charges accuse Popp of refusing to obey a deputy, driving away at a “rate of speed at least 21 mph over the legal speed limit” and possessing less than 15 grams of a substance containing cocaine.

Two of the misdemeanor charges accuse Popp of possessing hypodermic needles and syringes and possessing a “crack pipe”.

The other misdemeanor charge accuses Popp of violating a pretrial release condition from a domestic violence case where he was ordered not to have any contact with Samantha Norup, 30, who was a passenger in his vehicle.

Norup, also of Leaf River, was arrested on two active Ogle County warrants for battery and driving under the combined influence of alcohol, other drugs, or intoxicating compounds.

She was transported to the Ogle County Jail and released following a Dec. 22 court appearance. Her next court hearing is set for 10:30 a.m. Jan. 15.

During Popp’s Wednesday court appearance, Assistant State’s Attorney Matthew Leisten said Popp should not be released from custody because he had violated a pretrial release condition in the pending domestic violence case and has a prior criminal record that includes burglaries and other offenses.

“Moreover he fled from police...using excessive speed and he had cocaine,” said Leisten. “He is a flight risk.”

Popp’s attorney, Assistant Public Defender Eric Morrow, argued for his client’s release, telling Associate Circuit Judge Anthony Peska that Popp could live with relatives in Oregon, be confined to that home, and walk to his court hearings.

Morrow said information he had gathered indicates that Popp has a “severe drug addiction” and wants to seek treatment.

Peska denied Morrow’s request. “Mr. Popp was with someone he was to have no contact with. Then he takes off running because he does not want to be caught,” Peska said. “That is the definition of ‘willful flight’”.

Peska sent Popp back to the Ogle County Jail and set his next hearing for 10 a.m. Dec. 31.