Vehicle Carjacked At Chicago Ridge Gas Station, Suspect Caught: Cops

CHICAGO RIDGE, IL — A Chicago man is accused of hijacking a car at a Chicago Ridge gas station. Juan Macias, 23, appeared Tuesday before Cook County Judge Donald Havis on a felony charge of aggravated vehicular hijacking.

Just after 11:30 a.m. Sunday, Chicago Ridge police answered a call of a carjacking at the Mobil Gas Station, 10001 S. Ridgeland Ave. The owner of a 2009 Honda Civic that was stolen, described a man wearing black shorts and red hooded sweatshirt, later identified as Macias, prosecutors and police said.

The Honda Civic owner had stopped at the Mobil gas station to buy snacks. The prosecutor said Macias followed the man back to his car and pointed a gun at him. Macias told the man to give him everything and remove the passwords from his cell phone, before fleeing in the Honda Civic, according to the charges.

Chicago Ridge officers were able to look at security video, which they said showed Macias being dropped off at the Mobil in a Chevy Geo Prism with front end damage.

The Honda owner activated his phone’s tracking capabilities. Early Monday morning, just before 2 a.m., the Honda owner’s phone pinged at the address in the 10300 block of Barnard Avenue in Chicago Ridge, the prosecutor said. Officers went to the address, where the prosecutor said they found the Honda parked on the street, and a Chevy Geo Prism parked in the driveway.

The homeowner gave officers permission to search the home, which turned out to be Macias’s girlfriend’s residence, the prosecutor said. Macias was found inside a bedroom, still wearing black shorts and a red hooded sweatshirt, according to the complaint. Officers also found an air-soft gun resembling a handgun, keys to the Honda Civic and the vehicle owner’s other personal belongings, the prosecutor said.

Both Macias and his girlfriend were brought to the Chicago Ridge police station. The prosecutor said the girlfriend admitted to dropping Macias off at the Mobil station. She was eventually released without any charges being approved by the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office.

Police conducted a lineup, where the Honda Civic owner identified Macias, prosecutors said.

The prosecutor told the judge that Macias has a separate, pending case for possession of a stolen vehicle, for which a violation of bond was issued.

Judge Havis set bail at $100,000. Macias is due back May 10 in Bridgeview.