Will County judge finds man guilty of hijacking vehicle and armed robbery in hot pursuit case

Jordan Henry

A Harvey man was found guilty of aggravated vehicular hijacking, armed robbery and other charges filed against him after he was arrested in connection with a 2022 police chase that spanned several highways.

Will County Judge Amy Bertani-Tomczak delivered her verdict on Friday in the case against Jordan Henry, 29, who has been in jail since Feb. 23 following his arrest over a police chase that occurred the same day.

Henry was initially charged with aggravated fleeing and unlawful possession of a stolen vehicle out of Chicago, but later, he was indicted on more charges.

Those charges included aggravated vehicular hijacking, armed robbery, attempted aggravated vehicular hijacking, aggravated unlawful possession of a stolen motor vehicle, theft and unlawful possession of a weapon by felon, aggravated fleeing and striking a police animal.

Bertani-Tomczak found Henry guilty of those charges on Friday.

Henry is scheduled for sentencing on March 6. He faces between 21 to 45 years in prison, according to Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow’s office.

The events that led to Henry’s arrest began about 12:30 p.m. Feb. 23, when Illinois State Police troopers received information about a vehicle that was taken in a hijacking incident in Chicago, according to Illinois State Police.

A trooper located the vehicle on Interstate 94 at 75th Street in Chicago and initiated a traffic stop, but the vehicle fled the scene, which led to a pursuit, police said.

At Interstate 55 near Interstate 80, the vehicle lost control and crashed into a ditch, police said.

Henry was identified by police as the driver and only occupant of the vehicle.

Henry attempted to flee on foot and troopers eventually took him into custody with the help of a police dog, police said.

Henry was taken to a hospital with minor injures suffered during his apprehension by the dog, police said.

Last May, Henry tried to dismiss the case in Will County, arguing that it should be tried in Chicago where the carjacking occurred, according to the state’s attorney’s office.

Bertani-Tomczak denied the motion after prosecutors argued that Henry continued to exert unauthorized control over the stolen Volkswagen Jetta in Will County.