Two Chicago Juveniles Charged with Hijacking Man’s Car at Gunpoint in Carol Stream

“THIS TYPE OF VIOLENT BEHAVIOR AND COMPLETE AND UTTER DISREGARD FOR PUBLIC SAFETY WILL MOST CERTAINLY NOT BE TOLERATED IN DUPAGE COUNTY AND WILL BE MET WITH THE FULL FORCE OF THE LAW,” BOB BERLIN STATED.

CAROL STREAM - DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin and Carol Stream Chief of Police William Holmer announced today that two Chicago juveniles, a sixteen-year-old female and a seventeen-year-old male, have been charged with hijacking a man’s car at gunpoint from a Carol Stream strip mall. The juveniles appeared at a detention hearing this morning where Judge Jeffrey MacKay ordered they both be detained. Both juveniles have been charged with one count of Aggravated Vehicular Hijacking with a Firearm (Class X Felony), one count of Armed Robbery with a Firearm (Class X Felony), two counts of Aggravated Possession of a Stolen Motor Vehicle (Class 1 Felony) and one count of Aggravated Fleeing or Attempting to Elude a Police Officer (Class 4 Felony).

On May 20, 2022, at approximately 6:59 p.m., Carol Stream Police Department officers responded to a call of a stolen vehicle at a strip mall located at 238 West Army Trail Road. Upon their arrival, officers spoke with the victim and immediately began an investigation. It is alleged that the victim was standing outside his car, a 2019 Dodge Challenger Hellcat, when the two juveniles wearing dark masks approached him. It is alleged that as they approached, one of the juveniles pulled out a black handgun and pushed the barrel of the gun into the victim’s side at which time the second juvenile reached into the victim’s pocket and attempted to get the keys to the Challenger. The victim then removed the keys from his pocket and gave them to one of the juveniles. It is further alleged that the two juveniles then entered the victim’s car and drove away. It is alleged that responding Carol Stream officers located the Challenger on Army Trail Road and attempted to stop the vehicle but the driver of the vehicle fled from officers at a high rate of speed. It is further alleged that the vehicle fled southbound on I-355 at speeds of approximately 140 miles per hour. A short time later, officers located the Challenger abandoned on the shoulder along the southbound lanes of I-355 just north of Butterfield Road. Both juveniles were taken into custody in a crowded park in Lombard a short time later. Authorities also recovered black handgun and the key fob to the Challenger at the park.

“The allegations against these two juveniles are outrageous,” Berlin said. “Not only did these two juveniles allegedly hijack a man’s car at gunpoint, they proceeded to lead the police on a high-speed chase at speeds nearing 140 mph, then abandoned the car and fled on foot in a crowded park while armed with a deadly weapon. This type of violent behavior and complete and utter disregard for public safety will most certainly not be tolerated in DuPage County and will be met with the full force of the law. Thankfully, no one was injured or worse, killed, by the alleged actions of the accused. I thank the Carol Stream Police Department for their outstanding work on this case as well as the Lombard and Oak Brook Police Departments for their assistance. I also thank Assistant State’s Attorneys Alyssa Rabulinski and Kristin Grossman for their efforts in securing charges against these two juveniles.”

“I commended the Carol Stream officers for their quick and professional response, along with the Investigators for their follow-up work to present the case to the State’s Attorney,” Holmer said. “I also praise officers from Lombard and Oakbrook for their assistance in taking these juveniles into custody. It is also important to thank and recognize the victim and witnesses who assisted officers in this case. The careless behavior demonstrated by these juveniles can’t be tolerated.”

The next court appearance for both juveniles is scheduled for May 23, 2022 in front of Judge Anthony Coco.

Members of the public are reminded that this complaint contains only charges and is not proof of the defendants’ guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and are entitled to a fair trial in which it is the government’s burden to prove their guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

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