By Jim Hagerty
Reporter

ROCKFORD – Officers with the Rockford Police Department made arrests in weekend incidents as part of its Violent Crime Reduction Initiative.

The first incident unfolded at around 1 a.m., Saturday, May 23, when officers attempted a traffic stop near Broadway and 18th Street.

“The car fled at a high rate of speed, but was located a short time later as it had it had been involved in a one car accident on Charles Street,” Rockford Police Public Information Officer Michelle Marcomb said in a release.

The driver, identified as Stephan Ross-Traylor, suffered minor injuries and treated at a local hospital. A passenger, identified as Keanthony Spence, fled on foot before the officers arrived, but was located hiding in a backyard near 28th Street. He was cited for resisting arrest and released.

Ross-Traylor 24, of Rockford, was taken into custody and lodged in the county jail. He’s charged with two counts of aggravated fleeing and various traffic offenses.

At around 9 p.m., Sunday, officers responded to a shots-fired call in the 800 block of Cunningham Street, where they found several shell casings and spoke to 42-year-old Benigno Sanchez, of Rockford.

“After further investigation, a weapon was located and Sanchez was taken into custody and lodged in the county jail,” Marcomb said.

Sanchez is charged with reckless discharge of a firearm, aggravated unlawful use of a weapon by a felon, unlawful use of a weapon by a gang member and no FOID.

At around 11:30 p.m., Sunday, Rockford officers attempted a traffic stop near the area of Custer Avenue and Grenshaw Street.

“The car fled, but officers were able to deploy stop sticks and the vehicle was located disabled and abandoned in an alley in the 2100 block of Church Street,” Marcomb said.

Police say the driver, 27-year-old Anthony Rivera, of Rockford, was taken into custody as he was attempting to leave a residence in another vehicle. He is lodged in the Winnebago County Jail.

Rivera is charge with aggravated fleeing, driving under the influence of alcohol and various traffic offenses.