Gun Drawn During I-88 Incident Leads To Felony Charges Against Chicago Woman

AMBOY — A Chicago woman is facing multiple felony charges after authorities said she drove the wrong way on Interstate 88, and also allegedly pointed a handgun at law enforcement officers. As the incident continued, Lee County Telecommunicators began receiving multiple 911 calls reporting that a female matching the woman’s description was attempting to gain access to occupied vehicles while brandishing a handgun along Illinois Route 38 just west of Franklin Grove. The Lee County Sheriff’s Office said 37-year-old Samara P. Russell was taken into custody Saturday. She was transported for a mental health evaluation. Russell is charged with three counts of attempted aggravated vehicular hijacking and several other felony and misdemeanor offenses.