Accused Joliet shooter offered cash to victim, prosecutors say

Prosecutors have charged a man with offering money to one of the women police say he shot at during an altercation at a Joliet gas station.

On Feb. 16, a warrant was issued for the arrest of Amarion Denwiddie, 19, on charges of harassment of a witness and communicating with a witness.

Denwiddie has already been in jail since the July 6 shooting at PS Fuels & Market gas station, 928 W. Jefferson St.

Prosecutors alleged in a criminal complaint that Denwiddie used the assistance of another woman to contact one of the two women and offer her money.

Prosecutors claimed Denwiddie, with the intent to deter the woman from “testifying freely, fully and truthfully to any matter pending in any court,” offered her money or “another thing of value to any individual.”

The incident occurred Dec. 20, according to the criminal complaint.

Joliet police Sgt. Dwayne English said he was unable to release specific details about the new charges beyond what is already stated in the criminal complaint.

Denwiddie has been forcibly removed from court and twice not brought to court because of his aggressive, disruptive behavior, according to Denwiddie’s attorney, Timothy Specht.

Because of Denwiddie’s behavior, Specht has requested his client undergo a psychological evaluation to determine his fitness for trial.

In the gas station incident, Denwiddie brandished a handgun at two women he was arguing with and shot at their vehicle, police said.

Denwiddie fled but was later apprehended.

“During transport to the Joliet Police Department, Denwiddie began kicking the interior of a squad car while threatening to physically harm Officers, stating he was a kickboxer,” police said.

During booking, Denwiddie spat on an officer, kicked a thermostat and refused to be cooperative, police said.

On May 26, prosecutors charged Denwiddie with robbery and mob action after alleging he forcibly stole a cellphone from a teen and participated in the attack of that victim on April 26 in Joliet. The case remains pending in court.

Denwiddie and Joseph Lee Townsend, 49, of Joliet pleaded guilty to robbing a woman about two years ago shortly after they sold her a cellphone, court records show.