Man Waives Extradition After Lake Shore Drive Standoff

A man facing charges for holding police at bay for hours during a standoff on Lake Shore Drive is waiving extradition to Georgia.

Joseph Felton Jr., 44, appeared briefly in Cook County court on Monday and agreed not to fight efforts by Georgia officials to return him to that state, where he's wanted in connection with a murder that took place last month in Hampton, Ga.

Felton was seated in a wheelchair and had a patch covering his eye. He'd been hospitalized after the crash.

He was arrested in mid-March, nearly nine hours after his car crashed on Lake Shore Drive following a chase from south suburban Harvey.

Police said Felton told officers during the standoff he had a large number of guns. He was eventually removed from his vehicle after police utilized a flash bang distraction device and moved in.

"We took every step to cautiously apprehend a very violent murderer," Chicago Police Supt. Garry McCarthy said. "These are very dangerous situations, and they take time. At the end of the day, our responsibility is to protect life, including the accused."

The University Park man is charged with attempted first-degree murder, aggravated battery, fleeing police and being a fugitive.