Carjacker In Joliet Abandons Pickup Truck Once He Realizes It's Manual, Not Automatic: Cops

JOLIET, IL — For the second time in the past two weeks, the Joliet Police Department has made an arrest in connection with a dangerous carjacking crime. For years, carjackings around Joliet were practically nonexistent, but that's no longer the case as of this summer.

According to Monday's press release from police spokesman Dwayne English, at 10:19 a.m. last Friday, the officers on routine patrol near South Ottawa Street and McDonough Street were approached by a man who reported that a person tried to steal his pickup truck at gunpoint.

English said the victim was driving the pickup truck southbound on South Ottawa Street near Wallace Street when he stopped to avoid striking a man who was walking in the roadway. The man allegedly approached the driver's side of the truck, displayed a handgun, pointed it at the victim, and ordered him to exit the vehicle.

The victim complied and exited the truck. The suspect then allegedly attempted to take the vehicle but, after realizing it was equipped with a manual transmission, abandoned the attempt, instructed the victim to leave, and fled the area on foot, English revealed.

Officers quickly located the suspect in the 100 block of South Joliet Street. The suspect was captured and identified as Antwon Williams, 41, of Joliet.

During a search incident to his arrest, officers recovered suspected cocaine, English noted.

Officers, assisted by a Will County Sheriff's Office K-9, conducted an extensive search of the area but were unable to locate the handgun allegedly used during the incident.

The Will County State's Attorney's Office filed charges of aggravated vehicular hijacking, unlawful use of a weapon by a felon, possession of a controlled substance and obstructing a peace officer.

Williams was processed at the Joliet Police Department and transported to the Will County Adult Detention
Facility.