URBANA, IL (Chambana Today) — A Champaign County associate judge ruled Thursday that 33-year-old James White of Urbana must remain in custody until trial following a violent road rage incident earlier this month that allegedly involved alcohol, a high-speed chase, and gunfire.
White faces multiple felony charges, including possession of a firearm by a repeat felony offender, armed violence, aggravated discharge of a firearm, aggravated fleeing, and driving under the influence.
According to prosecutors, the incident began when another driver allegedly threw something at White’s vehicle. White is accused of pursuing the other driver through Champaign’s busy Green Street corridor, where witnesses say he exited his vehicle and fired two shots. Police later recovered a handgun from White’s car, along with a bottle of alcohol. The magazine reportedly had all of its bullets except two.
Assistant State’s Attorney Troy Lozar said White then fled the scene at speeds of up to 70 miles per hour, running three red lights on the University of Illinois campus before crashing near the intersection of Lincoln Avenue and Green Street in Urbana.
During Thursday’s detention hearing, Judge Brett Olmstead denied a defense request for conditional release with anger management and substance abuse treatment. In his ruling, Olmstead cited White’s prior decision—while sober—to arm himself with a fully loaded firearm.
“Alcohol does not make a person arm themselves with an illegal handgun,” Olmstead said. “The sequence of repeated, extremely dangerous conduct here… this is someone who presents a real threat to community safety.”
White remains in custody at the Champaign County Jail. A trial date has not yet been set.