Update August 8, 2022, 6:20 p.m. — In 2018, the accused man was airlifted to a hospital after being ejected from a sports car following a 100 mph police pursuit in Indiana, according to an archived newspaper report. More on that here.
A party bus driver from Valparaiso crashed into a string of 18 cars after dropping off his passengers at Wrigley Field on Saturday afternoon, officials said. Gregory Baldwin, 45, is charged with felony criminal damage to government property because one of the vehicles he struck was a Chicago Fire Department ambulance that was handling a call, prosecutors said.
Baldwin was driving the bus northbound on Broadway, which was congested with heavy traffic due to street closures for the nearby Market Days festival, at around 3:30 p.m. Saturday, authorities said. He continued to drive forward into oncoming traffic, even as a witness tried to get him to stop, according to prosecutor Steven Haamid.
Part of what happened next was captured on a viral video:
According to Haamid, the only person inside the ambulance was an EMT, and no injuries were reported as a result of the incident.
A motorist followed the party bus and kept 911 operators updated on its location until police cornered it in a circle drive at the mouth of Belmont Harbor. A Market Days crew member said he followed the bus while waiting for police to bring the bus driver back to the crash site for identification.
In addition to the felony criminal damage count, Baldwin is charged with leaving the scene of an accident and reckless driving. He also received traffic citations.
Judge Charles Beach set bail at $40,000 and permitted Baldwin to return home upon posting a 10% bail deposit.
Haamid said Baldwin has two felony convictions in Indiana: resisting in 2019 and aiding in narcotics in 2013.
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