'You Are Going To Die With Me' New Lenox Teen Told

NEW LENOX, IL - Court documents reveal that it's been more than a week since an 18-year-old Tinley Park teen revved up his 2008 Infiniti M35. His terrified 16-year-old girlfriend sat in the passenger seat. She was hysterical, crying. Before Jackson Zofkie buried his foot on the gas pedal he exclaimed, "If I am going to die, you are going to die with me," court papers claim.

His car struck a utility pole in New Lenox. The 16-year-old girl was taken to the Silver Cross Hospital. She was woozy and suffered head and neck injuries, fortunately, nothing life-threatening. But that was back on May 31. Since then, Zofkie has been in hiding. After he crashed into the pole, leaving his 16-year-old girlfriend injured, authorities in New Lenox have not been able to locate him.

On Wednesday, the New Lenox Police Department filed three criminal charges against the 18-year-old Zofkie. He is accused of using his car as a deadly weapon. Zofkie faces charges of aggravated battery using a deadly weapon, failure to report an accident involving personal injury and domestic battery causing bodily harm.

Will County Judge Roger Rickmon issued a warrant for the 18-year-old's arrest on Wednesday. As of Thursday afternoon, Zofkie was not in custody.

New Lenox's complaint states that on May 31 the Tinley Park teenager "failed to stop the vehicle he was driving, left the scene of an accident after that vehicle was involved in an accident at 825 Ruthenbeck Lane, in New Lenox, in which ... a minor was personally injured as a result of that accident ..."

An emergency protection order barring the defendant from having any further contact with the New Lenox teenager or her family outlines the key events surrounding the May 31 collision that nearly killed two teens.

That morning, the 16-year-old New Lenox girl called her mother to pick her up at Starbucks at 11 a.m.

"When I got there, she never showed up ... I went home and called Jackson's dad (Keith) and told him the locations were off on my daughter's phone and I was concerned that she was with Jackson. He told me that Jackson's (grandmother) saw them together.

"Thirty minutes later I got a call from Keith saying that there was an accident and the public works guys had my daughter on the side of the street, and they called the police," court documents state.

According to the courthouse records, "(the girl) called him before the crash crying hysterically for him to help her because Jackson wouldn't let her out of the car and wouldn't take her home."

Zofkie's father also heard "Jackson screaming at her and punching the steering wheel and dash board."

The girl's mother rushed to the crash scene. She saw New Lenox police cars everywhere.

The 16-year-old girl saw her mother and ran to her arms. Her neck and head hurt and she feared she might pass out, documents state.

"I became aware that Jackson told her, 'If I am going to die, you are going to die with me.' And then he speed (sic) up and headed for the pole."

The New Lenox teen told her mother how "they hit the pole but she was able to grab the wheel to the right. The public works guys were there and saw everything happen. When they came to help, Jackson told them to mind their own (expletive) business," court records show.

"It's over dude. You're done," a New Lenox public works employee told him.

Realizing New Lenox police were being called, Zofkie ran away as fast as he could, court papers state.

The girl told New Lenox police "Jackson had been drinking alcohol at the (grandmother)'s house before they left. She said that Jackson was driving a like mad man for about three blocks. He went through lawns, he was swerving all over the place. There are tire marks in the streets and up on lawns."

The girl was taken to Silver Cross Hospital where New Lenox police interviewed her.

As for Zofkie, the Tinley Park criminal defendant lives in the 19300 block of Brushwood Lane, court documents note.

The protection order explains that Zofkie "has given her drugs ... I am afraid ... that Jackson will successfully kill her next time. She is brainwashed, and I am trying to get her help and the proper treatment for domestic violence ... We were told that Jackson has been taken in for a psyche evaluation."

Main image via New Lenox Police Department