Two men and minor charged in connection with Jefferson Park carjacking while two kids still inside

by BRIAN NADIG

Two men and a juvenile were charged after they were arrested Oct. 21 in connection with a carjacking last week at a gas station at Montrose and Austin avenues in which two small children were still in the vehicle after it was stolen, according to the Chicago Police Department Office of News Affairs.

The three males were arrested after officers saw them inside the stolen Toyota sport utility vehicle matching a description driven in the 15th (Austin) Police District, according to police. The driver stopped the vehicle and all three occupants reportedly attempted to flee on foot but were apprehended a short time later, police said.

The reported carjacking occurred at about 5:15 p.m. Friday, Oct. 18, at the Shell gas station, 5959 W. Montrose Ave., when a man jumped inside the vehicle while its owner was pumping gas, police said.

The 39-year-old woman reported that a man entered the driver’s seat and tried to fight the man off but was dragged and fell as he drove away, and that her daughter and son were in the backseat when the vehicle was stolen, according to police.

The man dropped the woman’s children off a short time later in the 4300 block of North McVicker Avenue, and a resident called police and reported finding the children in the street, police said.

A surveillance video showed that the man had been pretending to pump gas for another vehicle before he jumped into the woman’s vehicle, according to police.

One of the suspects was identified by police as Dimari Terry, age 18, of the 4900 block of West Concord Place. He was charged with two felony counts of aggravated vehicular hijacking with passengers under the age of 16, a felony count of vehicular hijacking and a felony count of aggravated possession of a stolen motor vehicle, police said.

The second suspect, who was listed as an occupant in the stolen car after it was recovered, was identified by police as Tramaine Watson, age 18, of the 5800 block of West Division Street. He was charged with a felony count of possession of a stolen motor vehicle, a felony count of possession of a stolen firearm, and a felony count of no firearm owner’s identification, police said.

The third suspect was identified by police as a 16-year-old male. He was charged for being an occupant in a stolen vehicle.