Charges have been filed against two alleged gunmen after prosecutors say a mother had a gun pointed at her head and was carjacked in Waukegan before the suspects led police on a high-speed chase.
Elijah Monette, 20, of Zion, was charged with two counts of aggravated vehicular hijacking, possession of a machine gun, possession of a stolen vehicle, five counts of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon and resisting a peace officer causing injury.
J’Keveon Lewis, 18, of Zion, was charged with possession of a machine gun, possession of a stolen vehicle and five counts of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon.
The Waukegan Police Department responded around 2 p.m. Sunday to the Target, 3050 North Lewis Avenue in Waukegan, for a report of an armed vehicular hijacking.
Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Jeffrey Facklam said a suspect armed with a handgun pointed it at a woman’s head while demanding her car.
The woman was frightened and told the suspect that she needed to get her son out of the car first, Facklam said.
The suspect allowed the woman to remove her child from the car before four or five suspects fled in the gray 2015 Dodge Durango southbound on Lewis Avenue from the scene.
A witness who saw the incident unfolding called 911 and provided dispatchers with a description of the main suspect.
Monette matched the description of the main carjacking suspect, Facklam said.
Facklam said a Flock camera later alerted officers to the location of the stolen Dodge.
Officers spotted the stolen vehicle around 2:40 p.m. and attempted to stop it.
The Dodge failed to stop, made evasive maneuvers and a police pursuit ensued, Facklam said.
The chase traveled through Wadsworth and entered into the Gurnee area on Hunt Club Road.
The Dodge sideswiped another vehicle at Hunt Club Road and Grand Avenue in Gurnee, according to officers involved.
During the chase, the Dodge lost its front driver-side tire and the vehicle was driving on the rim.
The pursuit continued southbound on Hunt Club Road and went eastbound on Route 120 through Park City before briefly entering back into Waukegan.
The chase, which reached speeds of 100 mph at one point, then went south into North Chicago where it came to an end in a grassy lot near Argonne Drive and Kennedy Drive.
Approximately six subjects fled on foot from the Dodge, Facklam said.
Numerous police departments, consisting of dozens of police officers, responded to the scene alongside drones and canine units, police officials said.
A perimeter was set up and a search ensued for the suspects.
Waukegan Deputy Police Chief Scott Chastain said officers took four suspects into custody.
Monette and Lewis were charged and the two others were released pending further investigation.
The two others could still be charged later as the investigation continues, Chastain said.
Lewis admitted he knew the car was stolen and also said that he possessed multiple guns in the car, Facklam said.
Lewis also said he videotaped himself on Snapchat with the guns as well as took a video of the police chasing after the stolen car, Facklam said.
Everyone in the car was reported to be armed with guns. Four to five guns, some of which had “switch” devices rendering them fully automatic, were recovered.
The Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office filed petitions to detain both Lewis and Monette following their arrests.
Facklam said Lewis is on juvenile probation for two separate offenses, including felony disorderly conduct for a threat he made to a school and possession of a stolen vehicle.
Lewis was also on home detention for a third juvenile case involving charges of possession of a machine gun and aggravated discharge of a firearm.
He has not been sentenced in that case yet and was scheduled to appear in juvenile court on Tuesday for a sentencing hearing.
Lake County Judge Theodore Potkonjak pointed out that Lewis was released after being charged with possessing a machine gun as a juvenile only to be arrested again for possessing a machine gun.
“Well that was a good idea releasing him,” the judge said sarcastically.
Facklam said Monette was on bond at the time of the offense for an unlawful possession of a firearm case out of Lake County.
He was also out on bond for another case where he was charged with possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute in Wisconsin.
Potkonjak granted the petition to detain both suspects following detention hearings and remanded them to the Lake County Jail pending trial.
The judge said he could not fathom the fear the victim and her son were put through during the carjacking.