Joliet Victim 'Permanently Paralyzed,' Dodge Durango Faces Forfeiture

JOLIET, IL — Joliet attempted murder defendant Nathaniel Jakes, who stood over his 17-year-old wounded victim and declared, "he's not dead," before driving away from the crime scene near Houbolt Road at speeds topping 100 mph, should lose his 2019 Dodge Durango as a civil forfeiture, according to the Will County State's Attorney's Office.

After shooting the teen in the 900 block of Shiloh Court, Jakes took off in the black Durango, exceeding speeds of more than 100 miles per hour on northbound Interstate 55 as the Illinois State Police pursued him, court records show. With a Chicago Police helicopter joining the pursuit, Jakes crashed the Durango at Racine Avenue and 71st Street, where he was captured.

The Durango has been impounded by police and Jakes has remained in Will County's Jail since the morning of July 3 with a $1 million bail. He comes from the 1200 block of Fitzer Drive. His brother, Jathaniel, who goes by "Jay," is also jailed with a $500,000 bail for the non-fatal shooting.

The following information is relayed in this week's civil forfeiture filing involving Nathaniel Jakes and his 2019 Dodge Durango:

After the Joliet shooting victim was transferred to Stroger Hospital in Cook County, three Joliet police detectives arrived on July 10 to interview him. The doctors informed the Joliet police that the Joliet 17-year-old was already told that he will be permanently paralyzed.

At the hospital, the shooting victim, conscious and lethargic, told Joliet police he arrived at the house on Shiloh Court and met with his girlfriend. He learned she was having an argument with her two brothers, "Nathan" and "Jay," who are now both 20.

Minutes later, the 17-year-old boy and his girlfriend left the house and returned to his car; that's when the two Jakes brothers started shooting at him as he stood outside his vehicle.

The paralyzed victim suffered multiple gunshots. One of the gunshot wounds was on the victim's upper back, on the left side near his shoulder, and there was no exit wound.

He "was shot in his arm and kept running, but when he was shot in the back, he just fell," the complaint noted. The victim told Joliet police "Nathan was over him while he was on the ground and believed it was Nathan that shot him because he was standing over him saying, 'He's not dead.'"

On July 11, the Shiloh Court victim met with another Joliet police detective and "positively identified Nathaniel as well as Jathaniel Jakes as the offenders who shot him."

According to Glasgow's office, the 2019 Dodge Durango is now subject to forfeiture because the vehicle was used in connection with an attempted murder and aggravated discharge of a firearm crime.

Related Joliet Patch coverage:

Teen Shot In Joliet Near Houbolt Road, Suspect Caught: JPD