Crime & Courts

Prosecutors seek forfeiture of Nissan allegedly used in Joliet shooting: records

No arrests made yet in connection with April shooting in Joliet’s East Side, police said

No arrests have been made in connection with a shooting on Joliet’s East Side but prosecutors are nevertheless seeking forfeiture of the Nissan Maxima allegedly used in the incident, records show.

The shooting was reported by witnesses to have taken place on April 24 in the 500 block of Garnsey Avenue, according to a forfeiture complaint filed on Thursday by the Will County State’s Attorney’s Office.

Prosecutors argued that a white Nissan Maxima was “used to transport the offender” and the firearm used in the incident “to and from the location of the reckless discharge,” the complaint said.

The complaint requests that a judge to declare the vehicle forfeited so it can be sold at a public auction, destroyed or delivered to a law enforcement agency.

Joliet police Sgt. Dwayne English said last Friday that no one has been arrested in reference to this case.

A police detective investigating the incident had found numerous spent shell casings while searching inside the vehicle, the complaint said.

Video footage obtained in the investigation revealed that the Nissan Maxima was traveling north on Garnsey Avenue when a man leaned out the front passenger window and shot “back towards southbound Garnsey,” the complaint said.

An officer found spent shell casings on Garnsey Avenue.

Two officers found the vehicle parked in a driveway of an Iowa Avenue residence. One of the officers had previous contacts with “self-admitted Two-Six street gang members” at that residence, the complaint said.

The officer also knew the registered owner of the Nissan Maxima had an affiliation with the Two-Six gang as well, the complaint said.

The owner of the Iowa Avenue residence “stated she did not know who the vehicle belonged to and wanted the vehicle towed from her driveway,” the complaint said. She was told she would need a private tow company to remove the car.

The vehicle was documented as a “wanted felonious vehicle for reckless discharge of a firearm,” the complaint said.

Will County Sheriff’s deputies later found the Maxima on Florence Avenue. It was unoccupied and locked. The vehicle was towed from the scene and taken to the Joliet Police Department evidence garage for further investigation.

Felix Sarver

Felix Sarver

Felix Sarver covers crime and courts for The Herald-News