A wanted suspect has been arrested after prosecutors say he shoved a loaded gun into a teenager’s stomach at a restaurant, followed the victim and then crashed while fleeing from police in Harvard.
Jesus J. Figueroa, 24, of Harvard, was charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, unlawful use of a firearm while hooded, masked or robed, and two counts of resisting a peace officer.
The Harvard Police Department responded around 9:05 p.m. on September 13 to a parking lot on Division Street for a report of an altercation.
Harvard Police Chief Tyson Bauman said it was reported to be a verbal altercation that escalated when an offender, later identified as Figueroa, produced a handgun.
Figueroa pointed the gun at the 18-year-old victim before fleeing, Bauman said.
Prosecutors said Figueroa arrived at the Taco Bell on his motorcycle and approached the victim, who Figueroa did not know, wearing a black mask.
Figueroa shoved the barrel of a pistol into the stomach of the victim, telling the victim to leave the area, prosecutors said.
The gun, a Tauirus G2C 9mm semi-automatic pistol, was loaded, according to court documents.
The victim left the Taco Bell and drove to the nearby Walmart and Figueroa followed the victim to the Walmart where they called the police, prosecutors said.
Bauman said officers attempted a traffic stop on the motorcycle at the Walmart but Figueroa attempted to flee.
The suspect then crashed at the entry/exit of the Walmart parking lot and fled on foot into a nearby field.
The McHenry County Sheriff’s Office was requested to assist in the search. A drone and canine unit also responded, Bauman said.
The sheriff’s office issued an alert around 10:30 p.m. warning people to avoid the area of Route 14 and McGuire Road until further notice due to the heavy police activity.
Around 12:10 a.m., the sheriff’s office said the incident had concluded and normal traffic could resume.
Bauman said Figueroa was not located following the extensive search but a firearm was recovered along with the suspect’s motorcycle.
Figueroa was taken into the custody of the McHenry County Jail on Monday after being wanted for over three months.
He appeared in Initial Appearance Court on Tuesday and the McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office filed a petition to detain him pending trial.
McHenry County Judge Mary Nader granted the petition after finding that there were no conditions or combinations of conditions that the court could impose to keep the community safe based on the suspect’s dangerousness.
McHenry County State’s Attorney Randi Freese said she commends the Harvard Police Department for their thorough investigation that led to the charges.
Figueroa is scheduled to appear in court again on December 29.