Convicted Armed Robber Crosses IKEA Picket Line, Spurs 80 MPH Joliet Police Chase, Violent Crash: Prosecutors

JOLIET, IL — Devonte Jessup, a 2014 convicted armed robber who served out his 30-year prison term, is now one of the workers at the IKEA warehouse facility off Laraway Road. Based on Wednesday's dramatic turn of events at IKEA, Jessup must remain in the Will County Jail after the State's Attorney's Office of Jim Glasgow utilized the SAFE-T-Act to keep the fleeing motorist in custody.

Will County Judge James B. Harvey made the decision against Jessup, the 31-year-old Twin Oaks Apartments tenant now charged with three crimes of aggravated fleeing or eluding a police officer, two crimes of aggravated battery, failure to report an accident-causing injury, reckless driving, aggravated assault and unlawful possession of marijuana.

According to the prosecution's filing, around 7 a.m. one of the Joliet police officers was working a special assignment at the IKEA in Joliet where about 30 Teamsters were picketing at the entrance of IKEA at 650 Emerald Drive. Traffic was slowed due to the loud picketers, but they were standing in the easement. Various picketers on strike crossed the roadway with their signs as vehicles tried to access/enter the IKEA and 34-year-old Roosevelt Jones of Elwood was one of the picketers.

As for Jessup, the now-jailed criminal defendant, he worked at the facility and was alone in his KIA looking to get to the facility.

"Defendant had words with Jones. Defendant made a U-turn in the intersection and appeared to be trying to hit Jones with the KIA," prosecutors revealed.

Tensions were now high.

The Joliet police officer saw Jessup driving in a circle squealing his tires around Jones who was in the roadway near the vehicle.

"Officer believed the KIA was attempting to hit Jones. Officer ran toward Defendant and he hit the curb and sped away at a high rate of speed. Jones was laying in the roadway and Jones said the KIA struck him. Officer did not see any impact," prosecutors announced.

IKEA security video was obtained and it captured Jones being struck by the KIA. Jones had pain in his neck, shoulders and back and was transported to St. Joe's Hospital, according to prosecutors.

And that's when Jessup made the ill-fated decision to put the rest of the Joliet community at risk, according to court files.

The Joliet police activated their lights and sirens and pursued after Jessup as he was traveling at a high rate of speed westbound on Emerald Drive, passing vehicles using the median turn lane. Defendant turned onto northbound Chicago Street and quickly accelerated. The posted speed on Emerald Drive was 30 mph and 45 mph on Chicago Street but it dropped to 40 mph at Doris Avenue. Joliet police were not able to close the distance as the Kia traveled on Chicago Street as the officer traveled at least 80 mph and not gaining ground.

"Defendant went thru the red light at northbound Chicago Street at Mills Road and at Chicago Street and Doris Avenue. Defendant did not slow down at all," prosecutors outlined. "He disobeyed the red light at Chicago Street and Jefferson Street and wrecked with a 2012 Buick SUV at Chicago and Jefferson as it went thru the intersection."

And that's when it happened. Jessup crashed his brand new rental car into Joliet's Morris Building.

"Defendant then veered out of control into the building at 58 N. Chicago and was up on the sidewalk with extensive damage to the Kia. Defendant damaged multiple light poles, a small tree, a metal bench, metal trash can and a FedEx mailbox. The front glass windows and door of 56 North Chicago Street were shattered - a sheared off light pole appeared to cause the damage to the glass on the front door of 58 North Chicago Street," prosecutors informed the judge.

As for the innocent people struck by Jessup's reckless driving, the Buick Defendant wrecked with had and adult driver and four children in the vehicle, ages 14, 11, 8 and 6, but all occupants were not seriously injured, according to prosecutors.

Jessup was captured by Joliet police as he crawled out of his rental through the passenger side window. Joliet police recovered a foil zip lock baggie not properly sealed with 2 smaller foil type baggies inside from the front passenger floorboard of Defendant's Kia that had a green leaf- like substance inside that field tested positive for cannabis and the combined weight of the substance was 12.28 grams.

As for his fleeing vehicle, Jessup was driving a rental vehicle - a 2026 KIA K4 4 door sedan.

"Defendant drove his vehicle – a rental car into the victim. Defendant thereafter tried to run the victim over and drove circles around him," prosecutors emphasized in their petition to deny Jessup's release. "The uniformed police were on scene and as they approached Defendant fled in the rental vehicle. Defendant was/is on Mandatory Supervised Release after serving a 30 year sentence for Armed Robbery in Will County case 2014 CF 1460, sentenced on 1-6-16. Defendant also has a prior Possession of a Stolen Motor Vehicle felony conviction in Will County case 2013 CF 2677sentenced on 2-14-14)."