'The Gun Was Black And He Heard 2 Shots': Joliet Car Forfeiture

JOLIET, IL —Two months after Joliet police arrested Erik Solis-Medina in connection with a west-side shooting on Theodore and Delrose Streets, Will County prosecutors are asking a judge to declare the 2018 Chevrolet Cruz owned by Solis-Magana a forfeited asset for the police.

Solis-Medina has been free since Jan. 6. His family immediately posted 10 percent of his $250,000 to regain his freedom while he awaits his eventual trial on charges including aggravated battery with a gun and reckless discharge of a gun.

According to this month's civil forfeiture filing by the Will County State's Attorney's Office:

• Joliet police were called to St. Joe's hospital, where a 31-year-old gunshot victim just arrived at the Emergency Room.
• Officers interviewed the victim's girlfriend and identified their suspect as Solis-Medina, who was driving a blue Chevrolet Cruz. Meanwhile, two detectives went to the 600 block of Silver Street to conduct surveillance on the suspect's house.
• Meanwhile, other officers stopped Solis-Medina's car near Mission and Cathy Drive. After Solis-Medina was taken in for questioning, Joliet detectives interviewed his passenger, who "eventually admitted to being in the 2018 Chevrolet Cruz with Eric Solis-Medina at the time of the shooting."
• The passenger told detectives, "there was a person on foot walking when Erik yelled out the window, 'Hey, what's up?' With no response back, Erik stopped the vehicle and again said, 'Hey, what's up?'" And that's when Solis-Medina began shooting.
• The passenger told police he heard two shots. Solis-Medina tossed the gun to his passenger when the two were pulled over by Joliet police, and the passenger was told to throw the gun outside.
• The gun was found under that passenger side of the car.
• At St. Joe's hospital, before the victim went into surgery after being shot in the chest, he told Joliet police the car in the drive-by shooting was a light blue Chevy Malibu or Cruz. When officers asked if he knew who shot him, he replied, "Erik."
• Solis-Medina is the ex-boyfriend of the victim's girlfriend, officers learned at St. Joe's.
• The victim's girlfriend told police Solis-Medina has had previous issues with the victim because of their relationship. Last July, Solis-Medina went to the shooting victim's house and threatened him with a gun, which was not reported to police.
• The victim's girlfriend also told police Solis-Medina smashed the victim's car windows, which was reported to Joliet police last April 27.

The prosecution's filing asks that a Will County judge declare Solis-Medina's 2018 Chevrolet Cruz forfeited and order it sold at public auction, destroyed or given to a police agency here in Illinois.

Related Joliet Patch coverage:

Joliet Shooting Victim, 31, In Serious Condition As Arrest Made