Victims Scream, Use Baseball Bat To Defend Themselves During Home Invasion On Joliet Street: Police

JOLIET, IL — The Joliet Police Department — with help from the Plainfield Police Department — made arrests of two teenagers in connection with a home invasion in the 1800 block of Delrose Street over the weekend.

Acaiyia D. Whitehead, 19, of Plainfield, was booked into the Will County Jail on charges of home invasion, domestic battery, battery and criminal trespass. Also arrested and put into the Will County Jail was Javon D. Jimerson, 19, of Joliet, on charges of home invasion and criminal trespass.

According to Joliet police spokesman Tizoc Landeros, at around 9 a.m. Sunday, officers were dispatched to the 1800 block of Delrose after learning that Whitehead had broken into a residence.

The officers met with the victims, a 20-year-old man, and two women, ages 37 and 60, all of Joliet. They told police that they were all sleeping when they heard a loud knocking and screaming coming from the front door of their house. Upon investigating, they found Whitehead inside the home, police said.

Landeros said Whitehead forced her way into the residence by breaking through the front door, damaging the door frame. Whitehead is the ex-girlfriend of the male victim, according to authorities.

According to the arrest report, Whitehead began attacking the residents, and the victims defended themselves by fighting back. One of the victims used a baseball bat for defense, police said. According to officials, Jimerson, who traveled with Whitehead, was in and out of the residence during the incident.

Joliet police said Whitehead was upset over money owed to her. The victims sustained minor injuries, and the house was equipped with video surveillance, which captured Whitehead breaking her way into the residence, authorities said.

"Whitehead is seen carrying a rifle type object approaching the front door. Jimerson took this object away from Whitehead and placing it in the vehicle," Landeros said of the surveillance video.

Later, officers went to Whitehead’s residence, the 25000 block of Latham Court in Plainfield. With the assistance of the Plainfield Police Department, Whitehead was taken into custody after a short struggle, Landeros said. A short time later, police said Jimerson was brought out, and he was taken into custody without incident.

While Whitehead and Jimerson were at the Joliet Police Department, they were questioned about the black object seen in the video that appeared to be a rifle. Both told the officers that the object was a toy, according to police, but it was not recovered.

Whitehead and Jimerson were processed and taken to the Will County Jail, the Joliet police press release noted.