A judge denied pre-trial release to a man who authorities say carjacked and injured a victim in the parking lot of the Lake Forest Oasis before leading state police on a pursuit on Interstate 94.
The Illinois State Police responded around 3:40 a.m. on February 15 to the Lake Forest Oasis, 13783 East Oasis Service Rd in Lake Forest, for a report of a theft.
An attendant to the 7-Eleven store at the rest stop reported a male white stole cigarettes, according to state police.
Cameras captured the suspect walking around the parking lot attempting to open car doors, according to a 911 dispatcher.
While state troopers were still responding, it was learned that the suspect forcefully carjacked a 45-year-old driver who was pumping gasoline at the gas station near the 7-Eleven.
The suspect was identified as Robert J. Cattell, 52, of Lake Forest.
Surveillance video captured the incident. State police and prosecutors said Cattell attempted to flee the scene with the victim’s blue Hyundai Elantra following a struggle between the victim and Cattell.
He put the vehicle in reverse and struck the victim with the driver’s side door before breaking the gas pump hose, state police officials said.
A responding state trooper pulled up behind the victim’s vehicle to assist and Cattell continued to reverse, striking the front of the trooper’s squad car.
The state trooper involved, who was uninjured, reported there was damage to the Hyundai and the airbags deployed.
The suspect refused to stop and a police pursuit ensued on eastbound Interstate 94 from the Lake Forest Oasis.
The pursuit was discontinued after the stolen vehicle exited Interstate 94 at Cicero Avenue on the north side of Chicago.
The victim of the carjacking, who was on his way to work when the incident occurred, was transported by ambulance to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville with non-life-threatening injuries.
State police agents located the stolen vehicle in Chicago where it had crashed into three cars.
The Chicago Police Department arrested Cattell for driving under the influence of drugs and he was transported to a local hospital for injuries from the crash.
The Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office approved charges of vehicular hijacking, possession of a stolen motor vehicle and failure to report a personal injury crash.
The Illinois State Police Division of Criminal of Criminal Investigation Zone 1 East Violent Crimes Unit took Cattell into custody and transported him to the Lake County Jail last Saturday.
Cattell appeared for a detention hearing Tuesday afternoon.
Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Mary Daly said that just prior to the series of crimes being committed, Cattell was released from a mental health facility and was causing a disturbance.
The Waukegan Police Department gave Cattell a ride to the Waukegan Metra station where he continued causing a disturbance.
Police then transported him to the Lake Forest Oasis, at which point the theft and carjacking occurred, Daly said.
Daly said that Cattell told officers he was on heroin and admitted to his actions.
Lake County Judge Theodore Potkonjak granted prosecutors’ petition to detain Cattell pending trial.