Immigration Agents Detain Immigrant After Car Chase

Federal immigration officers detained an immigrant on Tuesday morning following a car chase that ended in a crash on the Northwest Side, as confirmed by federal officials, surveillance footage, and neighbors.

Home security video given to the Tribune reveals two dark vehicles pursuing a red car on West Grace Street towards the 3800 block of North Olcott Avenue in Chicago’s Dunning neighborhood at 10:24 a.m. Amid wailing sirens, one vehicle hit the red car nearing the intersection of Grace and Olcott. The red car then veered right onto Olcott, disappearing from view, while the others slowed down but continued to follow.

The Department of Homeland Security confirmed that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) conducted a specific operation to arrest Konrad Wojciech Darlak, described as “a criminal illegal alien from Poland.” Darlak tried to avoid arrest, colliding first with an ICE vehicle and then with a tree, as per the spokesperson. Darlak fled on foot. ICE officers reportedly used minimal force to detain him.

An image from a doorbell camera captured federal law enforcement vehicles chasing a red sedan towards the 3800 block of North Olcott Avenue on June 9, 2026. After hitting a tree, a person was detained. According to DHS, Darlak had prior arrests including possession of dangerous drugs, obstruction of justice, domestic battery, and transport of dangerous materials. He was convicted of retail theft, resisting a peace officer, and domestic battery. Court records show that in 2011, Darlak pleaded guilty to resisting an officer and domestic battery, resulting in a year of community service. He faced several retail theft charges over the years and in 2024, was sentenced to supervision for a DUI charge. His attorney’s office did not respond to the Tribune’s inquiries on Tuesday night. The Tribune could not confirm the arrest related to dangerous materials.

According to a police report obtained by the Tribune, two ICE agents tried to detain a man as he entered his car in the 3600 block of North Nottingham Avenue. The man reversed, hitting one agent’s car and sideswiping the other several times before driving off. The chase ended on the 3800 block of North Olcott when the man lost control. ICE agents took him to Loyola Hospital for observation.

The incident follows a similar chase in Albany Park last week, as reported by various sources. Following the arrest, many community members protested federal enforcement in Horner Park. These events continue six months after Operation Midway Blitz. This campaign led to 3,800 arrests and nearly 2,500 deportations in the Chicago area, with most individuals having no criminal record.

Edward Krueger, residing near Grace and Olcott, heard the sirens and witnessed part of the chase. Surveillance footage on his phone showed the pursuit and crash. Krueger saw an arrest occur as three individuals, appearing to be federal agents, placed a person into an unmarked vehicle. They wore vests labeled “police” and “customs enforcement.” Other videos showed masked officers near the wrecked vehicle while Chicago police secured the scene with tape.

By Tuesday afternoon, the red car remained at the intersection, damaged and up against a tree. A tow truck arrived to remove it around 1:30 p.m., uncovering a pole it had struck. A tire mark was visible in the muddy grass nearby. As the tow truck recovered the car, two CPD officers oversaw the process, with a few neighbors observing from afar.

Krueger, a lifelong Chicago resident who moved to the area in 2023, found the unexpected activity unsettling. He recounted how the federal operations had previously affected his wife’s students and their families. He expressed frustration, remarking that the federal agents’ actions had more impact on his life than those individuals targeted. “I haven’t had issues with immigrants,” Krueger commented, “but now I’ve watched ICE agents cause trouble outside my home.”