Joliet Woman, 24, Must Lose Her Kia Seltos To Forfeiture Because Of Vice Lord House: Glasgow

JOLIET, IL — The Will County State's Attorney's Office of Jim Glasgow is showing no signs of slowing down on its efforts to seize the vehicles belonging to people connected to criminal activity. On Friday, at the Will County Courthouse, Glasgow's office filed a civil forfeiture complaint seeking to confiscate the 2023 Kia Seltos belonging to 24-year-old Monica Porras, who lives in the 500 block of Joliet's Irving Street.

Porras has not been charged with any crimes.

According to the filing, back on Feb. 7, Joliet police officer Killian was conducting surveillance at 605 Dover Street, "a known east bay Vice Lord house in a high crime area, with numerous reports of shots fired, disturbances, fights and two homicides."

That particular day, Killian saw the Kia Seltos with heavily tinted windows and a tinted front windshield, and he saw a man enter the driver's seat, the complaint noted.

Officer Killian watched as the Kia turn right, southbound, on Henderson Avenue, then it turned eastbound along Cass Street and into the 76 Gas Station at 710 East Cass Street. Officer Killian activated his emergency lights and sirens to perform a traffic stop, "but the above captioned vehicle fled the parking lot and turned westbound onto Cass Street," the forfeiture indicated.

At that point, Officer Killian saw the vehicle cross over the solid double yellow lane divider, going into oncoming traffic, and also disregard the red traffic control signal at the intersection of Henderson Street," the court files reflect.

Finally, Killian noticed the Kia turned right onto Henderson and then left onto Benton Street.

By the time Killian tracked down the Kia, it was empty and parked in the alley in the rear of 605 Dover Street, court records show. Joliet police then had the car towed. At the scene, a neighbor notified Joliet police that they saw a man flee the vehicle and run toward 605 Dover.

Meanwhile, a gray/silver iPhone was found near the driver's seat. While Joliet police were on the scene, the Kia's owner, Monica Porras, emerged from 605 Dover, after calling police dispatch and trying to report her car as stolen, the forfeiture noted.

"Monica Porras was uncooperative and claimed she did not know who took her Kia," the forfeiture complaint indicated.

The reason for Friday's forfeiture complaint, according to court files, is "an unknown male, with the knowledge and or consent of the owner ... did use same in connection with the offense of aggravated fleeing and eluding."

The vehicle forfeiture for Porras' Kia Seltos was given a court date of April 29 at the Will County Courthouse.