3 Criminals With Stolen Gun Crash Into I-55 Barrier Wall: JPD

JOLIET, IL — In one of the final felony arrests for the Joliet Police Department in 2022, a total of three young men were captured New Year's Eve after crashing their stolen truck into the frontage road barrier wall near Interstate 55. Joliet police later discovered the three had a stolen gun with them as well as Alprazolam pills, according to police spokesman Dwayne English.

D’Amonta Barber, 23, of Joliet, is charged with vehicle theft, two counts of fleeing/eluding a peace officer, possession of a controlled substance and obstructing a peace officer and his bail was set at $500,000.

Barber's friend, Sean Bates, 24, of Richton Park, was arrested and later released on an I-bond on charges of obstructing a peace officer. Isiah Requena, 22, of Plainfield, was also released from custody on an I-bond on charges of obstructing a peace officer.

"Possession of this handgun remains under investigation," English said.

The New Year's Eve incident began on Essington Road around 3 p.m. while it was still daylight.

The Dodge Ram truck was previously reported stolen from Bolingbrook, and Joliet police tried to stop the stolen vehicle near Essington Road and Fiday Road.

"Officers did not pursue the vehicle due to the reckless manner in which the driver was operating the truck," English announced.

A short time later, police learned of a single-vehicle crash at Northeast Frontage Road and Fiday Road.

"Officers located the same Dodge Ram truck that had struck the barrier wall to Interstate 55, and it was determined that multiple occupants ran from the vehicle," English added.

Barber, Requena, and Bates were located a short time later in a neighborhood located northeast of the crash and all were placed into custody without incident, Joliet police noted.

Barber was in possession of Alprazolam pills at the time of his arrest, English said. "Officers determined they were the occupants of the truck and that Barber had been the driver."

All three young men were released from St. Joe's hospital a short time later and transported to the Joliet Police Department for processing.

Following a search of the truck, officers recovered a loaded 9 mm handgun that had been previously reported stolen, English said.