Suspect charged, detained in Saturday carjacking in Peru

A Gary, Indiana man has been identified as the suspect in a Saturday night vehicular hijacking at the Clocktower Shell in Peru, during which a man and woman were injured.

The La Salle County State’s Attorney’s Office has issued a warrant for 30-year-old Darion Coleman charging him with aggravated vehicular hijacking/passenger under 16, a Class X felony carrying 6-30 years in prison. There were at one point three passengers, two of whom exited the vehicle without injury.

Coleman was arrested by the Litchfield Police Department on a separate matter and is being held in the Montgomery County Jail for aggravated battery and robbery.

Peru police said they were notified of a vehicle hijacking at 7:22 p.m. Saturday at the service station located at 5247 Trompeter Road. One of the passengers, a 17-year-old woman, attempted to stop the hijacking was dragged a short distance causing “severe injuries to her foot and pelvic area,” police said. The woman was transferred to OSF St. Francis Medical Center, Peoria.

A 61-year-old bystander also tried to thwart the hijacking; but after being looked at by EMS he did not seek further treatment.

Police positively identified Coleman from evidence recovered at the scene. Coleman is believed to have left the stolen vehicle in Ladd and then stolen another vehicle that was located in Litchfield.

It was not yet clear whether Coleman would remain in Montgomery County custody or be taken to La Salle County.