Joliet police arrest teens accused of vehicle hijacking

A pair of teens have been arrested in Joliet after one of them was accused of the armed hijacking of a pregnant woman’s vehicle.

Shortly after 6 p.m. on Thursday, officers responded to the 600 block of Darcy Avenue and discovered a 32-year-old pregnant woman and her 13-year-old daughter were approached by a masked suspect who was armed with a handgun, according to Joliet police Sgt. Dwayne English.

The suspect pressed the handgun to the woman’s stomach while demanding her money and car keys, English said. Afterward, the suspect fled the area in her Mazda vehicle, he said.

Less than a half hour later, the stolen Mazda was spotted by police in the 1000 block of West Jefferson Street and the vehicle was seen heading to the 3100 block of the same street, English said.

At that point, the stolen Mazda pulled into a parking lot and collided with a parked truck, English said.

Officers converged on the stolen Mazda and identified the driver as Louis Jones, 18, and Dakota Ulmer, 18, both of Joliet, English said. Both teens were taken into custody and later to the Will County jail.

Jones was arrested on probable cause of aggravated vehicular hijacking, aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, aggravated battery, stolen vehicle possession, vehicle burglary and criminal trespass to a vehicle.

Ulmer was also arrested on probable cause of aggravated vehicle hijacking, aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, aggravated battery and vehicle burglary.

Officers searched the vehicle and found a loaded handgun, ammunition, a Link card belonging to the pregnant woman and a debit card belonging to the owner of a Ford Taurus whose vehicle had been stolen, English said.

Officers received a report of a stolen vehicle from the parking lot of Stang Kelly Liquors, 712 W. Jefferson St. Officers determined a Ford Taurus had been stolen after the driver left the vehicle unlocked and running, English said.

Officers later determined the stolen Ford Taurus was involved in a crash at South Hunter Avenue and Morgan Avenue, English said. The driver in the stolen vehicle fled the scene, police said.

English said officers reviewed surveillance video that they alleged shows Jones stealing the Ford Taurus from Stang Kelly Liquors.

Officers received multiple delayed reports of burglarized motor vehicles from the first block of Manor Court and the first block of South Raynor Avenue, English said.

Officers believe Ulmer was allegedly responsible to a motor vehicle burglary on South Raynor Avenue and Jones was allegedly trespassing into a vehicle on Manor Court, English said.

Officers were then notified of a delayed report of an attempted vehicular hijacking in the first block of Blackmon Avenue involving a masked suspect armed with a gun, English said. The suspect fled the area after the vehicle alarm was activated, he said.

“A comprehensive investigation into these multiple incidents remains active,” English said.

Anyone with information in the general area where the crimes occurred who have either video or further information should contact a Joliet police sergeant at 815-955-8486.