50 vehicles flee from interrupted street race: Naperville police - Connor J. Graham and Russell S. Kacher in custody for racing their Smart Cars

An  estimated 50 drivers put their pedals to the metal over the weekend to get away from two Naperville police officers, who said they interrupted a two-man high-speed race on the streets of the city's far northwest side.

"Approximately 50 vehicles scattered in various directions upon police arrival" at the scene of the alleged race, Cmdr. Jason Arres said Thursday, quoting from one of the officer's reports. The two men participating in the race were arrested.

The first officer was sent at 12:21 a.m. Sunday to investigate a report of a street race near Shore and Frontenac roads, Arres said.

That T-shaped intersection is in the Naperville Center for Commerce & Industry, northeast of North Aurora Road and the Elgin, Joliet & Eastern Railway tracks. The Dresser-Rand Co. and Great Western Flooring are headquartered near the intersection.

The alleged racers were identified as Connor J. Graham, 21, of the 7N400 block of Stevens Glen Road, in an unincorporated area near St. Charles; and Russell S. Kacher, 20, of the 700 block of Pennsylvania Avenue in Aurora. Arres said Graham was driving a black 2004 Subaru WRX and Kacher a red 2006 Volkswagen Jetta.

"One of our officers said both vehicles were doing 71 (mph) in a 30 (mph) zone," Arres said. A written police bulletin indicated Graham was taken into custody near the intersection, and Kacher a short distance to the north, near Diehl and Frontenac roads.

Both men were charged with street racing and driving more than 35 mph over the posted speed limit. Arres said Graham also was charged with driving in the wrong lane of traffic and having a defective muffler or no muffler on his Smart Car.

It was not known how or whether Kacher and Graham knew one another prior to the race. Arres said he did not know how, or if, the race had been advertised, or what might have drawn the 50 carloads of spectators to the area.

An examination of court documents revealed neither Graham nor Kacher has a criminal record in DuPage, Kane and Will counties. Both are free on bond and awaiting preliminary hearings in DuPage County Circuit Court.

Kacher could not be reached Thursday for comment on the alleged race. A woman who answered the telephone at Graham's home said she would pass along a request for comment to him, although Graham did not immediately return that call.